Transmitting and receiving system, transmitting apparatus and receiving apparatus

ABSTRACT

A transmission and reception system includes a transmission apparatus and reception apparatuses. The transmission apparatus transmits a storage identifier for identifying a storage medium and data. The reception apparatuses each include a receiving section for receiving the storage identifier for identifying the storage medium and the data, and a storage control section for storing the data received by the receiving section on the storage medium identified by the storage identifier received by the receiving section. Hence, automatic storage of data conforming to personal taste and simultaneous automatic storage of data for plural persons are realized.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional application of co-pending U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/766,148, which filed on Jun. 21, 2007,which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/911,873 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,248,832), which filed on Jul. 25, 2001,which is based upon Japanese Application No. 2000-232760, which filed onAug. 1, 2000, and 2001-219506, which filed on Jul. 19, 2001, thecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a network system, a broadcastingsystem, etc. for carrying out the management of data transmission andreception and data storage (or data accumulation).

2. Description of the Related Arts

Transmitting means by broadcasting and wired networks are available asmeans for delivering data to an indefinite number of users. In recentyears, digital broadcasting via satellite waves has been put topractical use, and the transmission of video and audio contents, dataand the like through multiple channels has been realized. In addition,digital broadcasting via terrestrial waves has become active forpractical use. Furthermore, contents can be received through receivingapparatuses, such as television sets, home video systems or personalcomputers. Still further, media for accumulating (or writing) data areincreasing in capacity and diversity.

Various proposals have been made for data storage (or accumulation)methods by utilizing the characteristics of the above-mentionedbroadcasting systems, receiving apparatuses and storage (oraccumulation) media. Furthermore, various proposals have also been madefor storage (or accumulation) methods for data transmitted throughdigital wired networks.

For example, a proposal has been made wherein data provided from publictelephone lines is received and accumulated, and unnecessary data isdeleted on the judgment on the taste of the user of a storage medium(Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. Hei 10-91686). Furthermore, aproposal has been made wherein, from a substitute apparatus foraccumulating all broadcast data, data is captured automatically on thebasis of the judgment on the taste of a person on a storage medium usedby the person. When data is transferred or copied from a receivingapparatus with stored data to a receiving apparatus having a storagemedium on which data transmitted via a broadcasting systems or a digitalwired network is not accumulated, the data is transferred from thereceiving apparatus through a removable storage medium or via a network.

When storing data transmitted by a transmitting apparatus by usingautomatic storage means on the basis of judgment on the personal tasteof a user, judgment wherein a standard based on fixed personalattributes not subjected to time-series changes is used as a standardfor judgment on the personal taste of a user depending on daily livingenvironments is made. Hence, in the case of the above-mentioned datastorage, the personal taste cannot always be judged properly, wherebydata not conforming to the personal taste at a certain time wasaccumulated automatically in some cases.

Furthermore, in the case of automatic storage of data on the basis ofthe judgment on the personal taste, the judgment on the taste of pluralpersons was not carried out, and data was not able to be accumulated orshared automatically and simultaneously among plural persons. Hence,just as in the case of data transfer and copying among plural receivingapparatuses, in order to share data among plural persons, data desiredto be shared was stored on storage media removable from receivingapparatuses, and data to be shared was sent by exchanging storage mediaamong plural persons or via a network.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems.In other words, the present invention is intended to automaticallyaccumulate data conforming to the taste of a person and to automaticallyaccumulate data for plural persons simultaneously.

In addition, the present invention is intended to judge the personaltaste of a user depending on daily living environments and toautomatically accumulate data conforming to the personal taste at acertain time in the case when data transmitted by a transmittingapparatus is accumulated by automatic storage means on the basis of thejudgment on the personal taste of a user.

Furthermore, the present invention is intended to automaticallyaccumulate and share data among plural persons by carrying out judgmenton the taste of a group formed of plural persons.

Still further, the present invention is intended to automaticallyaccumulate data conforming to the dynamic taste of a group formed ofplural persons.

Still further, the present invention is intended to accumulate data by aspecific request from a person and to transmit the data from thetransmitting apparatus so that the data is automatically accumulated andshared among plural persons constituting a group.

The present invention provides a transmitting apparatus for transmittinga storage identifier for identifying a storage medium and data.

Still further, the present invention provides a receiving apparatuscomprising a receiving section for receiving a storage (or accumulation)identifier for identifying a storage medium and data, and a storagecontrol section for accumulating the data received by the receivingsection on the storage medium identified by the storage identifierreceived by the receiving section.

In accordance with the above-mentioned invention, the receivingapparatus receives the storage identifier and the data transmitted fromthe transmitting apparatus. When the storage identifier and the data aretransmitted so as to correspond to each other, the data received can beaccumulated on the storage (or accumulation) medium identified by thereceived storage (or accumulation) identifier. Even if thecorrespondence relation between the storage identifier and the data isunknown at the time of the reception, the received data can beaccumulated on the storage medium identified by the received storageidentifier on the basis of the correspondence relation specified in thereceiving apparatus by an appropriate method. Hence, data that may beused, can be accumulated automatically on a storage medium that may usethe data.

It is sufficient that the storage identifier can only identify one ortwo or more storage media on which data should be accumulated, and thestorage identifier can identify, for example, the kind (type) of storagemedium (tape, hard disk, etc.), the inherent number (production number,etc.) of the storage medium, the installation place of the storagemedium, etc.

The storage control section may perform operation for accumulating dataon a storage medium by itself, or may control other devices,apparatuses, etc. so that data is accumulated on a storage medium.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a receiving apparatuscomprising a receiving section for receiving data and a data identifierfor identifying the data, a storage control information storage sectionfor storing (or keeping) one or more pieces of storage controlinformation having a storage identifier for identifying a storage mediumand the data identifier as a pair, a storage identifier acquisitionsection for acquiring the storage identifier paired with the dataidentifier received by the above-mentioned receiving section from theabove-mentioned storage control information storage section, and astorage control section for accumulating the data received by theabove-mentioned receiving section on the storage medium identified bythe storage identifier acquired by the above-mentioned storageidentifier acquisition section.

In accordance with the above-mentioned invention, after receiving thedata and the data identifier, the receiving apparatus acquiresaccumulated information from the data identifier which has been receivedon the basis of the storage control information. The received data isthen accumulated on the storage medium identified by the acquiredstorage identifier. Hence, data that may be used can be accumulatedautomatically on a storage medium that may use the data.

The storage control information storage section may be a temporarymemory (RAM, register, etc.) or a permanent memory, such as a ROM.

The present invention provides a transmitting apparatus for transmittinga storage (or accumulation) identifier for identifying a storage medium,a receiving apparatus identifier for identifying a receiving apparatus,and data.

Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention, the receivingapparatus identified by the receiving apparatus identifier canaccumulate the received data on the storage medium identified by thereceived storage identifier when the receiving apparatus identifier isreceived. In other words, the transmitting apparatus can transmit dataafter specifying which storage medium of which receiving apparatus isused for data storage.

The present invention provides a receiving apparatus comprising areceiving section for receiving a storage identifier, a first receivingapparatus identifier and data, a receiving apparatus identifier storagesection for storing (or keeping) a second receiving apparatusidentifier, a receiving apparatus identifier acquisition section foracquiring the above-mentioned second receiving apparatus identifier, ajudgment (or determination) section for judging as to whether the firstreceiving apparatus identifier received by the above-mentioned receivingsection and the second receiving apparatus identifier acquired by theabove-mentioned receiving apparatus identifier acquisition section havea certain relation therebetween, and a storage control section foraccumulating the data received by the above-mentioned receiving sectionon the storage medium identified by the storage identifier received bythe above-mentioned receiving section when the judgment result at theabove-mentioned judgment section is that “there is a certain relation.”

Furthermore, in the present invention, when the received first receivingapparatus identifier and the second receiving apparatus identifier foridentifying the receiving apparatus itself have a certain relationtherebetween, the receiving apparatus accumulates received data. Thecertain relation is a relation wherein one or two or more receivingapparatuses identified by the first receiving apparatus identifierinclude the second receiving apparatus identifier for identifying thereceiving apparatus itself. In other words, the certain relation is notlimited to a relation wherein the first receiving apparatus identifiercompletely coincides with the second receiving apparatus identifier. Forexample, in a case wherein the second receiving apparatus identifier haseight bytes, in which the first four bytes are used as a regionidentifier for specifying a region and the last four bytes are allocatedonly to the receiving apparatus, when the first receiving apparatusidentifier is information for specifying only the region identifierformed of the first four bytes, if the first receiving apparatusidentifier coincide with the first four bytes of the second receivingapparatus identifier, it may be regarded as “a certain relationtherebetween.”

The receiving apparatus identifier storage section may store the secondreceiving apparatus identifier temporarily. Furthermore, it is notnecessary that the number of the second receiving apparatus identifieris fixed to one for one receiving apparatus. For example, the secondreceiving apparatus identifier stored on the receiving apparatusidentifier storage section may be changeable by interchanging IC cardsor by temporarily storing (or memorizing) data. Still further, thesecond receiving apparatus identifier may be changed depending on theposition (or location) where the receiving apparatus is put.

The present invention provides a management apparatus comprising anattribute information group storage section for storing (or keeping) anattribute information value group having one or more attributeinformation values which are values of attribute information used asinformation capable of having plural values, a data group storagesection for storing (or keeping) plural pieces of data, a dataacquisition regulation storage section for storing (or keeping) a dataacquisition regulation which is a regulation for acquiring data whereinone or more attribute information values are used as parameters, and adata acquisition section for acquiring one or more pieces of data fromthe above-mentioned data group storage section with respect to the oneor more attribute information values stored (or kept) on theabove-mentioned attribute information group storage section, on thebasis of the data acquisition regulation stored (or kept) on theabove-mentioned data acquisition regulation storage section.

Furthermore, in the present invention, an attribute information valuegroup is accumulated on the attribute information group storage sectionby an appropriate method. The attribute information value group may beaccumulated temporarily, or the attribute information values may bechangeable. The data acquisition regulation is a function wherein theattribute information values are parameters, for example. Alternatively,the data acquisition regulation may be information whereincorrespondences are established between the attribute information valuesused as parameters and data in a table. In this case, the tablefunctions as a data group storage section. Furthermore, when the dataacquisition regulation is given as a function wherein the attributeinformation values are parameters, and when the function can have afinite number of values (data), the function functions as a data groupstorage section. Still further, the data group storage section may be atemporary memory, such as a RAM or a register, or a permanent memory,such as a ROM or a DVD-ROM. All the storage sections in accordance withthe present invention are similar to the data group storage section. Inother words, all the storage sections in accordance with the presentinvention may be a temporary memory, such as a RAM or a register, or maybe a permanent memory, such as a ROM or a DVD-ROM.

The management apparatus in accordance with the present inventionfurther comprises an attribute information receiving section forreceiving one or more attribute information values used as informationcapable of having plural values, and an attribute information recordingsection for recording one or more attribute information values receivedby the above-mentioned attribute information receiving section in theabove-mentioned attribute information group storage section.

The management apparatus in accordance with the present inventionfurther comprises a data transmitting section for transmitting one ormore pieces of data acquired by the above-mentioned data acquisitionsection.

In the management apparatus in accordance with the present invention,the above-mentioned attribute information receiving section alsoreceives a terminal identifier, and the above-mentioned datatransmitting section also transmits the above-mentioned terminalidentifier.

The present invention provides a broadcasting apparatus comprising adata receiving section for receiving one or more pieces of datatransmitted by the data transmitting section in the managementapparatus, a terminal identifier storage section for storing (orkeeping) a terminal identifier for identifying a terminal, a terminalidentifier acquisition section for acquiring the terminal identifierstored (or kept) on the above-mentioned terminal identifier storagesection, and a data broadcasting section for broadcasting the one ormore pieces of data received by the above-mentioned data receivingsection and the terminal identifier acquired (or gained) by theabove-mentioned terminal identifier acquisition section.

Furthermore, the broadcasting apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention broadcasts data determined on the basis of an attributeinformation value from a terminal and broadcasts the terminal identifierfor identifying the terminal, whereby the terminal can selectivelyreceive the data. Broadcasting is to transmit information to anindefinite number of persons. Furthermore, the broadcasting apparatusmay convert the terminal identifier data received from the dataacquisition apparatus into an appropriate form and may broadcast them.For example, a signal corresponding to the received terminal identifiermay be added to a content signal corresponding to the received data, andthen transmitted.

The present invention provides a broadcasting apparatus comprising adata receiving section for receiving a terminal identifier and one ormore pieces of data transmitted by the data transmitting section in themanagement apparatus, a terminal identifier storage section for storing(or keeping) the terminal identifier received by the above-mentioneddata receiving section, a terminal identifier acquisition section foracquiring the terminal identifier stored (or kept) on theabove-mentioned terminal identifier storage section, and a databroadcasting section for broadcasting the one or more pieces of datareceived by the above-mentioned data receiving section and the terminalidentifier acquired by the above-mentioned terminal identifieracquisition section.

The broadcasting apparatus in accordance with the present inventionfurther comprises a group terminal storage section for storing (orkeeping) one or more pieces of group terminal information having oneterminal identifier and other one or more terminal identifiers as apair, and a group terminal acquisition section for acquiring one or moreterminal identifiers paired with the terminal identifier broadcast bythe above-mentioned data broadcasting section from the above-mentionedgroup terminal storage section, wherein the above-mentioned databroadcasting section also broadcasts the one or more terminalidentifiers acquired by the above-mentioned group terminal acquisitionsection.

In accordance with the present invention, the terminals belonging to agroup can receive the same data.

The present invention provides a management apparatus comprising aterminal attribute information value group storage section for storingtwo or more terminal attribute information value groups wherein anattribute information value group and a terminal identifier are used asa pair, a data group storage section for storing (or keeping) pluralpieces of data, a data acquisition regulation storage section forstoring (or keeping) a data acquisition regulation which is a regulationfor acquiring data wherein one or more pieces of attribute informationare used as parameters, and a data acquisition section for acquiring oneor more pieces of data from the above-mentioned data group storagesection by using attribute information values constituting pluralattribute information value groups included in two or more terminalattribute information value groups stored (or kept) on theabove-mentioned terminal attribute information value group storagesection, on the basis of the above-mentioned data acquisitionregulation.

Furthermore, in the present invention, in a case when plural persons useone terminal for example, a terminal identifier may be allocated to eachperson who uses the terminal.

The management apparatus in accordance with the present inventionfurther comprises a terminal attribute information value group receivingsection for receiving two or more terminal attribute information valuegroups, and a terminal attribute information value group recordingsection for recording two or more terminal attribute information valuegroups received by the above-mentioned terminal attribute informationvalue group receiving section in the above-mentioned terminal attributeinformation value group storage section.

The management apparatus in accordance with the present inventionfurther comprises a data transmitting section for transmitting one ormore pieces of data acquired by the above-mentioned data acquisitionsection.

The management apparatus in accordance with the present inventionfurther comprises a data transmitting section for transmitting one ormore pieces of data acquired by the above-mentioned data acquisitionsection, wherein the above-mentioned data transmitting section alsotransmits two or more terminal identifiers included in two or moreterminal attribute information value groups received by theabove-mentioned terminal attribute information value group receivingsection.

The present invention provides a broadcasting apparatus wherein the datatransmitting section in the management apparatus comprises a datareceiving section for receiving one or more pieces of data having beentransmitted and two or more terminal identifiers having beentransmitted, and a data broadcasting section for broadcasting the one ormore pieces of data received by the above-mentioned data receivingsection and the two or more terminal identifiers received thereby.

The present invention provides a data storage (accumulation) methodwherein in a case when one receiving apparatus receives and accumulatesdata, other receiving apparatuses automatically receive and accumulatethe broadcast of the same data.

The present invention provides a receiving apparatus comprising a datareceiving section for receiving data and data identification information(for example, channel numbers, times, program names) which isinformation for identifying the data, a data storage (accumulation)section for accumulating the data, a stored (accumulated) dataidentification information storage section for storing (or keeping) thedata identification information which is information for identifying thedata accumulated in the above-mentioned data storage section, a datastorage (accumulation) control section for giving an instruction ofaccumulating the data received by the above-mentioned data receivingsection on the above-mentioned data storage section on the basis of thedata identification information stored (or kept) on the above-mentionedstored data identification information storage section, and a dataidentification information transmitting section for transmitting thedata identification information stored (or kept) on the above-mentionedaccumulated data identification information storage section.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the receiving apparatusaccumulates (or writes) the data identified by the data identificationinformation stored (or kept) on the accumulated data identificationinformation storage section on the data storage section. Since the dataidentification information stored (or kept) on the accumulated dataidentification information storage section is transmitted by the dataidentification information transmitting section, it is possible totransmit (directly or indirectly) the kind of data accumulated by thereceiving apparatus to any other receiving apparatus. Hence, data can bestored in cooperation among plural receiving apparatuses. For example,plural receiving apparatuses can accumulate the same data, or reversely,data to be accumulated can be prevented from being accumulated on othertransmitting apparatuses, or can be deleted if stored (or kept). In thetransmission of the data identification information by the dataidentification information transmission section, the cooperation amongthe receiving apparatuses can be attained easily before data isaccumulated by the data storage section; however, the cooperation is notlimited to this, but may be done after data storage (or accumulation).

The receiving apparatus in accordance with the present invention furthercomprises a receiving apparatus identifier storage section for storing(or keeping) a receiving apparatus identifier for identifying thereceiving apparatus, and a receiving apparatus identifier acquisitionsection for acquiring the receiving apparatus identifier stored (orkept) on the above-mentioned receiving apparatus identifier storagesection, wherein the above-mentioned data identification informationtransmitting section also transmits the receiving apparatus identifieracquired by the above-mentioned receiving apparatus identifieracquisition section.

Since the receiving apparatus in accordance with the present inventionalso transmits the receiving apparatus identifier for identifying thereceiving apparatus in addition to the data identification information,any other receiving apparatus can recognize which receiving apparatusaccumulates which data. Hence, it is easy for any other receivingapparatus to selectively receive and use the data identificationinformation from the receiving apparatuses in cooperation (orassociation).

The receiving apparatus in accordance with the present invention furthercomprises a transmission destination information storage section foraccumulating one or more pieces of transmission destination informationwhich is information indicating a transmission destination, and atransmission destination information acquisition section for acquiringone or more pieces of transmission destination information stored (orkept) on the above-mentioned transmission destination informationstorage section, wherein the above-mentioned data identificationinformation transmitting section transmits data identificationinformation to the transmission destination indicated by thetransmission destination information acquired by the above-mentionedtransmission destination information acquisition section.

Furthermore, in the present invention, a receiving apparatus can specifya transmission destination and can transmit data identificationinformation (and a receiving apparatus identifier). Hence, in any otherreceiving apparatus, it is not necessary to make judgment as to whetherdata identification information is transmitted from a receivingapparatus used in cooperation or not, whereby the data identificationinformation can be used easily.

The present invention provides a receiving apparatus comprising a datareceiving section for receiving data and data identification informationwhich is information for identifying the data, a data storage(accumulation) section for accumulating the data received by theabove-mentioned data receiving section, and a data identificationinformation transmitting section for transmitting the dataidentification information which is information for identifying the dataaccumulated in the above-mentioned data storage section. The dataidentification information corresponds to information includinginformation indicating channel numbers, broadcasting times, programnames, etc. for example. The data identification information may beanything, provided that it is information for identifying data, such asprograms.

Furthermore, a receiving apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention can transmit what kind of data the receiving apparatusaccumulates, to any other receiving apparatus. Hence, data can beaccumulated in cooperation among plural receiving apparatuses.

The receiving apparatus in accordance with the present invention furthercomprises a receiving apparatus identifier storage section for storing(or keeping) a receiving apparatus identifier for identifying thereceiving apparatus, and a receiving apparatus identifier acquisitionsection for acquiring the receiving apparatus identifier stored (orkept) on the above-mentioned receiving apparatus identifier storagesection, wherein the above-mentioned data identification informationtransmitting section also transmits the receiving apparatus identifieracquired by the above-mentioned receiving apparatus identifieracquisition section.

Furthermore, since the receiving apparatus in accordance with thepresent invention also transmits the receiving apparatus identifier foridentifying the receiving apparatus in addition to the dataidentification information, any other receiving apparatus can recognizewhich receiving apparatus accumulates which data. Hence, it is easy forany other receiving apparatus to selectively receive and use the dataidentification information from the receiving apparatus(es) used inassociation.

The receiving apparatus in accordance with the present invention furthercomprises a transmission destination information storage section forstoring (or keeping) one or more pieces of transmission destinationinformation, and a transmission destination information acquisitionsection for acquiring the one or more pieces of transmission destinationinformation stored (or kept) on the above-mentioned transmissiondestination information storage section, wherein the above-mentioneddata identification information transmitting section transmits dataidentification information to the transmission destination indicated bythe transmission destination information acquired by the above-mentionedtransmission destination information acquisition section.

Furthermore, in the present invention, a receiving apparatus can specifya transmission destination and can transmit data identificationinformation (and a receiving apparatus identifier). Hence, in any otherreceiving apparatus, it is not necessary to make judgment as to whetherdata identification information is transmitted from a receivingapparatus used in association or not, whereby the data identificationinformation can be used easily.

The present invention provides an output apparatus comprising areceiving section for receiving a receiving apparatus identifiertransmitted from a receiving apparatus and data identificationinformation transmitted therefrom, a group receiving apparatusinformation storage section for storing (or keeping) one or more piecesof group receiving apparatus information having one receiving apparatusidentifier and other one or more receiving apparatus identifiers as apair, a group receiving apparatus identifier acquisition section foracquiring one or more receiving apparatus identifiers paired with thereceiving apparatus identifier received by the above-mentioned receivingapparatus, from the aforementioned group receiving apparatus informationstorage section, and an output section for outputting one or morereceiving apparatus identifiers acquired by the above-mentioned groupreceiving apparatus identifier acquisition section.

Furthermore, the output apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention extracts other receiving apparatuses (or another receivingapparatus) grouped with one receiving apparatus identified by thereceived receiving apparatus identifier, on the basis of the groupreceiving apparatus information, and it outputs the receiving apparatusidentifier(s) for identifying the extracted other receiving apparatuses(or another receiving apparatus). Since the output apparatus manages (oradministers) the group relation among the receiving apparatuses, thereceiving apparatus(es) do not require judgment as to group relation.Hence, the construction of the receiving apparatuses can be simplified

The output section can output the receiving apparatus identifier invarious forms. For example, the receiving apparatus identifier may berecorded on a recording medium. Alternatively, the receiving apparatusidentifier may be transmitted to only a specific target (for example, abroadcasting station or the receiving apparatus identified by thereceiving identifier) or to target(s) other than the specific target.The receiving apparatus identifier may be output without specifying anyoutput destination. In other words, the output has a concept includingrecording on a recording medium, display on a screen, printing to aprinter, transmission via a wired or wireless network.

In the broadcasting apparatus in accordance with the present invention,the above-mentioned output section also outputs data identificationinformation received by the above-mentioned receiving section.

In accordance with the present invention, data commonly used among thereceiving apparatuses can be easily recognized by any other receivingapparatus.

In the output apparatus in accordance with the present invention, theabove-mentioned output section outputs one or more receiving apparatusidentifiers and the data identified by the data identificationinformation received by the above-mentioned receiving section inrelation to each other.

The receiving apparatus in accordance with the present invention canmake recognition as to whether received data is to be accumulated oneother receiving apparatuses (or another receiving apparatus) in a groupor not. Hence, the receiving apparatuses in the group can accumulatedata in cooperation (or association). For example, when data received byany other receiving apparatus is accumulated, a receiving apparatusdifferent from the receiving apparatus can accumulate the data, or,reversely, can withhold storage (or accumulation) to prevent overlappedstorage in the group.

The present invention provides a receiving apparatus comprising a datareceiving section for receiving data and data identification information(for example, channel numbers, times, program names) which isinformation for identifying the data, a data output section foroutputting the data received by the above-mentioned data receivingsection, and a data identification information transmitting section fortransmitting the data identification information (the dataidentification information received by the data receiving section) whichis information for identifying the data when the data is output by theabove-mentioned data output section.

In accordance with the present invention, when received data is output(for example, when seen, when heard or when printed), the receivingapparatus transmits data identification information for identifying thedata. Hence, the fact that the receiving apparatus has outputted datacan be transmitted to any other apparatus except the receivingapparatus. By using this, cooperation (or association) among thereceiving apparatuses can be realized, and any additional data can betransmitted, for example.

The receiving apparatus in accordance with the present invention furthercomprises a receiving apparatus identifier storage section for storing(keeping) a receiving apparatus identifier for identifying the receivingapparatus, and a receiving apparatus identifier acquisition section foracquiring the receiving apparatus identifier stored (or kept) on theabove-mentioned receiving apparatus identifier storage section, whereinthe above-mentioned data identification information transmitting sectionalso transmits the receiving apparatus identifier acquired by theabove-mentioned receiving apparatus identifier acquisition section.

In the present invention, since a receiving apparatus identifier foridentifying a receiving apparatus that has outputted data is alsotransmitted, the receiving apparatus that has outputted the data can bespecified, whereby cooperation (or association) among the receivingapparatuses, additional data transmission, etc. can be attained easily.

The receiving apparatus in accordance with the present invention furthercomprises a transmission destination information storage section forstoring one or more pieces of transmission destination information whichis information indicating a transmission destination, and a transmissiondestination information acquisition section for acquiring one or morepieces of transmission destination information stored (or kept) on theabove-mentioned transmission destination information storage section,wherein the above-mentioned data identification information transmittingsection transmits data identification information to the transmissiondestination indicated by the transmission destination informationacquired by the above-mentioned transmission destination informationacquisition section.

In accordance with the present invention, a receiving apparatus canspecify a transmission destination and can transmit data identificationinformation (and a receiving apparatus identifier). Hence, in any otherreceiving apparatus, it is not necessary to make judgment as to whetherdata identification information is transmitted from a receivingapparatus used in cooperation (or association) or not, whereby the dataidentification information can be used easily.

The present invention provides an output apparatus comprising areceiving section for receiving a receiving apparatus identifier anddata identification information transmitted from a receiving apparatus,a group receiving apparatus information storage section for storing(keeping) one or more pieces of group receiving apparatus informationhaving one receiving apparatus identifier and other one or morereceiving apparatus identifiers as a pair, a group receiving apparatusidentifier acquisition section for acquiring the one or more receivingapparatus identifiers paired with the receiving apparatus identifierreceived by the above-mentioned receiving apparatus from theabove-mentioned group receiving apparatus information storage section,and an output section for outputting the one or more receiving apparatusidentifiers acquired by the above-mentioned group receiving apparatusidentifier acquisition section.

The output apparatus in accordance with the present invention alsooutputs the data identification information received by theabove-mentioned receiving section.

In the output apparatus in accordance with the present invention, theabove-mentioned broadcasting section outputs one or more receivingapparatus identifiers and the data identified by the data identificationinformation received by the above-mentioned receiving section inrelation to each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects and features of the present invention willbecome clear from the following description taken in conjunction withthe preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing a basic construction in accordance with a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view showing the specifications of content numbers;

FIG. 3 is a view showing content kind numbers (content sort numbers);

FIG. 4 is a view showing the construction of a receiving apparatuscontrol information management section;

FIG. 5 is a view showing the construction of a modification of thereceiving apparatus control information management section shown in FIG.4;

FIG. 6 is a view showing a receiving apparatus control informationtable;

FIG. 7 is a view showing a modification of the receiving apparatuscontrol information table shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view showing the specifications of a descriptor includingreceiving apparatus control information;

FIG. 9 is a view showing the specifications of a modification of thedescriptor including receiving apparatus control information shown inFIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a view showing the basic construction of a receivingapparatus;

FIG. 11 is a view showing the construction of the receiving section ofthe receiving apparatus;

FIG. 12 is a view showing the construction of the accumulation controlsection of the receiving apparatus;

FIG. 13 is a view showing a accumulation medium identification table;

FIG. 14 is a view showing a procedure (or step) for receiving apparatuscontrol information management processing;

FIG. 15 is a view showing a procedure for retrieval processing dependingon content kind number;

FIG. 16 is a view showing a procedure for retrieval processing dependingon content number;

FIG. 17 is a view (first half) showing a procedure for descriptorgeneration processing;

FIG. 18 is a view (latter half) showing a procedure for descriptorgeneration processing;

FIG. 19 is a view (first half) showing a procedure for receivingapparatus accumulation control processing;

FIG. 20 is a view (latter half) showing a procedure for receivingapparatus accumulation control processing;

FIG. 21 is a view showing the basic construction of a modification ofthe receiving apparatus shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 22 is a view showing the basic in accordance with a secondembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a view showing the construction of a management apparatus inaccordance with the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a view showing a flow of a procedure for registration to themanagement apparatus;

FIG. 25 is a view showing a flow of a procedure, for registration to themanagement apparatus, of a modification of the procedure shown in FIG.24;

FIG. 26 is a view showing a receiving apparatus identification numbertable;

FIG. 27 is a view showing a personal fixed interest degree data table;

FIG. 28 is a view showing a modification of the personal fixed interestdegree data table shown in FIG. 27;

FIG. 29 is a view showing a personal interest degree index data table;

FIG. 30 is a view showing a flow of a procedure for the change ofpersonal interest degree threshold value data to the managementapparatus;

FIG. 31 is a view showing a flow of a procedure, for the change ofpersonal interest degree threshold value data to the managementapparatus, of a modification of the procedure shown in FIG. 30;

FIG. 32 is a view showing accumulation content judgment processing onthe basis of the taste of a person;

FIG. 33 is a view showing a personal interest degree threshold valuedata table;

FIG. 34 is a view showing a transmission content kind number (or sortnumber);

FIG. 35 is a view showing the basic construction in accordance withthird and fourth embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 36 is a view showing the construction of a management apparatus inaccordance with the third embodiment;

FIG. 37 is a view showing a flow of a procedure for user registrationand group registration;

FIG. 38 is a view showing a terminal identification number table;

FIG. 39 is a view showing terminal identification numbers and usageperiods in a user control table;

FIG. 40 is a view showing a personal fixed interest degree data table;

FIG. 41 is a view showing a modification of the personal fixed interestdegree data table shown in FIG. 40;

FIG. 42 is a view showing a personal accumulation content kind numbertable;

FIG. 43 is a view showing a group management data table;

FIG. 44 is a view showing a group fixed interest degree data table;

FIG. 45 is a view showing a flowchart indicating a procedure for acontent kind judgment;

FIG. 46 is a view showing a group accumulation content kind numbertable;

FIG. 47 is a view showing a second construction of the managementapparatus in accordance with the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 48 is a view showing a personal interest degree depending on commonindexes;

FIG. 49 is a view showing a personal interest degree data table;

FIG. 50 is a view showing a group interest degree data table;

FIG. 51 is a view showing a flowchart indicating a procedure for contentkind judgment;

FIG. 52 is a view showing a personal interest degree threshold value;

FIG. 53 is a view showing a group interest degree threshold value;

FIG. 54 is a view showing a personal accumulation content kind datatable;

FIG. 55 is a view showing a group storage content kind data table;

FIG. 56 is a view showing a third construction of the managementapparatus in accordance with the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 57 is a view showing the basic construction of a modification ofthe management apparatus shown in FIG. 56;

FIG. 58 is a view showing the basic construction of a modification ofthe management apparatus shown in FIG. 57;

FIG. 59 is a view showing a second construction of the broadcastingapparatus in accordance with the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 60 is a view showing the basic construction of a modification ofthe broadcasting apparatus shown in FIG. 59;

FIG. 61 is a view showing the basic construction of a modification ofthe broadcasting apparatus shown in FIG. 60;

FIG. 62 is a view showing a fourth construction of the managementapparatus in accordance with the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 63 is a view showing the basic construction of a modification ofthe management apparatus shown in FIG. 62;

FIG. 64 is a view showing the basic construction of a modification ofthe management apparatus shown in FIG. 63;

FIG. 65 is a view showing a modification of the data transmittingsection of the management apparatuses shown in FIGS. 58 and 64;

FIG. 66 is a view showing a second construction of the receivingapparatus in accordance with a fifth embodiment;

FIG. 67 is a view showing the basic of a modification of the receivingapparatus shown in FIG. 66;

FIG. 68 is a view showing the basic construction of a modification ofthe receiving apparatus shown in FIG. 67;

FIG. 69 is a view showing the basic construction of the output apparatusin accordance with the fifth embodiment; and

FIG. 70 is a view showing the specifications of a stream in accordancewith the fifth embodiment;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the description of the preferred embodiments according to thepresent invention proceeds, it is to be noted that like or correspondingparts are designated by like reference numerals throughout theaccompanying drawings.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below referringto the drawings.

First Embodiment

First, a first embodiment will be described by using FIG. 1 to FIG. 20.FIG. 1 is a view showing a basic construction of a transmitting andreceiving system in accordance with this embodiment of the presentinvention. First, the principle of the transmitting and receiving systemof the present invention will be described referring to FIG. 1. Thetransmitting and receiving system of FIG. 1 comprises a transmittingapparatus 1, a receiving apparatus 21 installed in a home or office in aregion designated by a region R1 and obtained by division as a minimumadministrative district unit, and a similar receiving apparatus 22 in aregion designated by a region R2. A receiving apparatus controlinformation management section 12 is attached to the transmittingapparatus 1. Letter A designates a user of the receiving apparatus 21and the receiving apparatus 22 installed in the region R1 and the regionR2, respectively.

The regions R1 and R2 may be regions based on homes, school districts,commercial facilities, etc. or regions based on logical concepts,instead of regions based on the administrative district unit.Furthermore, the regions R1 and R2 may be the same region or may bedifferent regions.

The transmitting apparatus 1 sends a broadcast stream 31 with receivingapparatus control information. For example, the transmitting apparatus 1sends a broadcast stream that uses an MPEG2 transport stream used in acurrent digital satellite broadcast. The transmitting apparatus 1 sendsthe broadcast stream 31, thereby transmitting contents to the receivingapparatus 21 and the receiving apparatus 22.

Although an example by using wireless broadcasting is described as anexample of data transmission, data transmission by using a wired networkor the like may be used. Furthermore, although contents are taken as anexample of data to be sent, any data, such as simple characterinformation, may be taken.

The broadcast stream 31 is, for example, a broadcast stream into which aconditional access packet 310 including information for controlling thereceiving apparatuses is inserted. This broadcast stream is a broadcaststream that uses an MPEG2 transport stream, and this broadcast stream isa broadcast stream into which the conditional access packet 310 having aunique packet identification number can be inserted in addition tosection information, such as video and audio elementary packets andelectronic program guide.

The conditional access packet 310 has a system identification number foreach application so as to be able to be used for various applications.The construction of the conditional access packet 310 conforms to thespecifications stipulated according to the system identification number.The conditional access packet 310 is formed on the basis of informationregistered in the receiving apparatus control information managementsection 12 of the receiving apparatus 1 and is inserted into thebroadcast stream 31.

The receiving apparatus control information management section 12 is amanagement section for managing information sent from existingcommunication means 101 (a telephone, FAX, etc.) to the transmittingapparatus 1 by the user A who uses a plurality of receiving apparatuses.The receiving apparatus control information management section 12 isrealized by a recording medium, such as a hard disk or a DVD-RAM.

The receiving apparatus 21 and the receiving apparatus 22 are identifiedby receiving apparatus identification numbers. The transmittingapparatus 1 manages the receiving apparatus identification numbers. Thereceiving apparatus control information management section 12 storesinformation sent from the receiving apparatus 21 and the receivingapparatus 22 in a management table or the like according to thereceiving apparatus identification numbers of the receiving apparatus 21and the receiving apparatus 22. By the receiving apparatus controlinformation management section 12, contents designated by the user A orcontents conforming to the content kind designated by the user A areaccumulated (or written) simultaneously and automatically on receivingapparatus(es) designated by the user A. Hence, it is possible to realizeservice wherein contents are shared by the receiving apparatus 21 andthe receiving apparatus installed in the region R1 and the region R2physically distant from each other.

The above-mentioned receiving apparatus identification numbers have thesame meanings as receiving apparatus identifiers. The receivingapparatus identification numbers may be those used to identify thereceiving apparatuses according to not only numerals but also otherinformation, such as alphabetic characters. This applies to thefollowing descriptions in a similar way.

The above-mentioned contents have the same meanings as data. Thisapplies to the following descriptions in a similar way. The kinds ofcontents are concepts included in data identifiers. This applies to thefollowing descriptions in a similar way. The data identifiers are usedto identify data and used to identify not only the kinds of data butalso individual pieces of data.

The broadcast stream 31 into which the conditional access packet 310including information for controlling the receiving apparatuses isinserted, is sent from the transmitting apparatus 1, reaches the regionR1 and the region R2, and is received by the receiving apparatus 21installed in the region R1 and used by the user A and the receivingapparatus 22 installed in the region R2 and used by the user A. Thereceiving apparatuses 21 and 22 have receiving apparatus identificationnumbers ID (A1) and ID (A2), respectively.

In the receiving apparatuses 21 and 22, a decoder capable of decodingthe broadcast stream 31 to be received operates at all times. Thereceiving apparatuses 21 and 22 retrieves and extracts the conditionalaccess packet 310 from packets to be decoded sequentially. The extractedconditional access packet is decoded, and the packet 310 having thesystem identification number including information for controlling thereceiving apparatuses is taken out.

Next, the receiving apparatus 21 extracts the conditional access packetconforming to the receiving apparatus identification number ID (A1)allocated to itself. In addition, the receiving apparatus 22 extractsthe conditional access packet 310 conforming to the receiving apparatusidentification number ID (A2) allocated to itself. The receivingapparatuses 21 and 22 finally decode and decipher information forcontrolling the receiving apparatus included in the extractedconditional access packet 310. On the basis of the result of thedecipherment, the contents designated by the information for controllingthe receiving apparatuses can be recorded automatically on kinds ofstorage (or accumulation) media designated by the receiving apparatuses21 and 22 among the storage media managed by the receiving apparatuses21 and 22. The timings when the contents are recorded automatically bythe two receiving apparatuses may be almost simultaneous or different.The information indicating the kind of storage medium, included in theconditional access packet, is an example of a storage (or accumulation)identifier.

The kind of the storage medium is designated by an identifier foridentifying the storage medium. More specifically, the storage (oraccumulation) medium identifier is managed by the transmittingapparatus. Then, in the transmitting apparatus, the storage mediumidentifier is added to the information for controlling the receivingapparatus, thereby forming the conditional access packet 310. Then, inthe transmitting apparatus, the conditional access packet 310 isinserted into the broadcast stream 31. By the above-mentionedoperations, it is possible to designate the kind of storage medium.

Furthermore, the storage identifier may identify not only the type ofstorage medium but also each individual of storage medium.

The details of each of the above-mentioned apparatuses will be describedbelow. The receiving apparatus 1 of FIG. 1 has a content forming section13 for forming contents and a content sending section 11 fortransmitting the contents, as basic construction sections, and isprovided with the receiving apparatus control information managementsection 12 therebetween.

The receiving apparatus control information management section 12receives a content forming information signal 14 from the contentforming section 13, and finally sends a descriptor signal 15 includingthe information for controlling the receiving apparatuses to the contentsending section 11. The content forming section 13 generates contentnumbers daily for all contents to be formed so as to be transmitted andassigns the numbers to the contents. The content numbers are generatedby obtaining date/time information from a timer (not shown, provided inthe content forming section). FIG. 2 shows an example of specificationsof a content number. The above-mentioned content number is an example ofthe above-mentioned data identifier.

A content number is formed of six octets. The two low-order octetsdesignate management numbers sequentially assigned to contents to betransmitted in a day. The next three octets designate date information.Hence, the content number is a number unique to each content. The headone octet of the content number is a content kind number. The contentkind number is a number for classifying contents to be transmitted. FIG.3 shows the classification of contents and numbers assigned to therespective kinds.

FIG. 4 shows a construction of the receiving apparatus controlinformation management section 12. The receiving apparatus controlinformation management section 12 comprises a control informationholding memory 121, a comparator 122 and a descriptor generator 123. Thecontrol information holding memory 121 accumulates the receivingapparatus control information table shown in FIG. 6. The receivingapparatus control information table has the names of users who useservice for automatically accumulating (or writing) contents to betransmitted in a plurality of receiving apparatuses, the identificationnumbers of the receiving apparatuses to be designated and used by theusers, usage periods, content numbers desired to be accumulatedautomatically or content kind numbers.

When the identifier for identifying a storage medium is managed on theside of the transmitting apparatus, and when a storage mediumcorresponding to the kind of content or content number is determined onthe transmission side so as to control the receiving apparatuses, astorage medium information holding memory 124 is provided additionallyas shown in FIG. 5. The storage medium information holding memory 124holds the content kind number representing the kind of each content anda storage identifier as a pair as shown in FIG. 13. Furthermore, a tablewherein a content number and a storage identifier are held as a pair mayalso be used.

The user A asks the manager of the transmitting apparatus 1 shown inFIG. 1 to register user information by using existing communicationmeans, such as a telephone, facsimile, CATV or wireless communication.The manager of the transmitting apparatus 1 registers the userinformation in the receiving apparatus control information table bymaking additions or modifications in the receiving apparatus controlinformation table accumulated on the control information holding memory121. For example, the user A sends, for example, the name of the user A,the identification numbers of a plurality of receiving apparatuses to beused by the user A and to be serviced, i.e., of the receiving apparatus21 and the receiving apparatus 22, the period of the service, the numberof a content desired to be accumulated automatically or a content kindnumber to the manager of the transmitting apparatus 1.

Furthermore, when the registration is realized by managing theidentifier for identifying a storage medium, by delivering theidentifier to the descriptor generator 123 and by inserting theidentifier into the broadcast stream 31, the storage identifierdesignated by the user A is corresponded to each content kind number oreach content number and is registered as user information in thereceiving apparatus control information table as shown in FIG. 7.

An information generating procedure for controlling the receivingapparatus by using the receiving apparatus control informationmanagement section 12 of FIG. 4 will be described by using theflowcharts shown in FIG. 14 to FIG. 18. In the flowchart of FIG. 14, atstep S111, the comparator 122 acquires the identification number of thereceiving apparatus and the content number or content kind numbercorresponding thereto from the receiving apparatus control informationtable on the control information holding memory 121. At step S113,discrimination is made between the content number and the content kindnumber. At step S115, when the acquired number is the content number,the content corresponding thereto is retrieved from the content groupformed by the content forming section 13 on the basis of the contentnumber. At step S114, when the acquired number is the content kindnumber, the content including the content kind number correspondingthereto is retrieved from the content group formed by the contentforming section 13 on the basis of the content kind number. Next, atstep S116, the content number of the content obtained by retrieval andthe receiving apparatus identification number of the receiving apparatusfor accumulating (or writing) the content are sent to the descriptorgenerator 123. The descriptor generator 123 forms a descriptor from thecontent number and the receiving apparatus identification number. Atstep S117, the descriptor is sent to the content sending section 11. Theabove-mentioned processing is repeated until the end of the receivingapparatus control information table accumulated (or written) on thecontrol information holding memory 121 is detected (at step S112).

Furthermore, when a storage (or accumulation) identifier for designatinga storage (or accumulation) medium is also transmitted together with thedescriptor, the storage identifier may be designated by the user anddetermined by the above-mentioned communication means, or may be inputon the side of the transmitting apparatus as necessary.

When the user designates a storage medium, the descriptor generator 123also acquires the storage identifier designated by the user by using thereceiving apparatus control information table. The descriptor generator123 adds the storage identifier to the content number and the receivingapparatus identification number to form a descriptor, and sends thedescriptor to the content sending section 11.

The above-mentioned storage identifier is a piece of informationconstituting the user information to be sent by the above-mentionedcommunication means.

When a storage medium is designated automatically on the transmissionside, the descriptor generator 123 acquires each content kind number orthe storage identifier corresponding to a content number from the tableon the storage medium information holding memory 124 of FIG. 5 to form adescriptor, and sends the descriptor to the content sending section 11.

The content sending section 11 encodes the contents sent from thecontent forming section 13 and the descriptor sent from the receivingapparatus control information management section 12 into an MPEG2transport stream and sends it out as the broadcast stream 31 shown inFIG. 1.

Next, retrieval processing on the basis of a content kind number andretrieval processing on the basis of a content number will be describedby using the flowcharts of FIG. 15 and FIG. 16. At step S121 or S131,the comparator 122 sequentially acquires the content numbers of formedcontents from the content forming section 13. At step S123, the acquiredcontent number is compared with the content number acquired from thereceiving apparatus control information table on the control informationholding memory 121. In the case of retrieval processing on the basis ofthe content kind number, only the content kind numbers are compared (atstep S133).

In the case of a noncoincidence, a usage period is acquired from thereceiving apparatus control information table on the control informationholding memory 121 (at step S124 or S134), and the usage period iscompared with the date information included in the content number (atstep S125 or S135). In the case of coincidence in the usage periods, thecontent number and the receiving apparatus identification number arebuffered (at steps S126 and S127 or steps S136 and S137).

Furthermore, when a storage medium is designated on the transmissionside, a storage identifier is also acquired from the receiving apparatuscontrol information table and is buffered at step S127 or S137.

Still further, when a storage medium is determined automatically on thesending side, each content kind number or the storage identifiercorresponding to a content number is acquired from the table on thestorage medium information holding memory 124 and buffered at step S127or S137.

The above-mentioned processing is repeated until the end of the contentsformed by the content forming section 13 is detected (at step S122 orS132).

Next, the details of the descriptor generated by the descriptorgenerator 123 will be described by using FIG. 8. A descriptor isgenerated as a factor of the conditional access packet (packetidentification number 1) of the MPEG2 transport stream to be generated.This descriptor has a unique system identification number and a privatedata field. This system identification number indicates that thedescriptor is a control information descriptor for realizing service forautomatically accumulating contents to be transmitted in a plurality ofreceiving apparatuses. The private data has one octet controlledreceiving apparatus quantity region, and the identification numbers ofreceiving apparatuses to which contents are accumulated, correspondingto the quantity of the receiving apparatuses indicated in this region,are accumulated. Each of the receiving apparatus identification numberis formed within 32 octets. One octet content number quantity region isaccumulated immediately after the region wherein the receiving apparatusidentification numbers are accumulated. Corresponding to the quantity(or number) given in the content number quantity region, the contentnumbers of the contents to be accumulated automatically, areaccumulated. The content number is formed of six octets.

Furthermore, when a storage medium is designated on the transmissionside, storage identifiers are stored in regions next to the regionwherein the content number is accumulated as shown in FIG. 9. Theremaining portion of the private region is padded.

Descriptor generating processing will be described by using theflowcharts of FIGS. 17 and 18. At step S141, the descriptor generator123 reserves a buffer for buffering private data and initializes acounter for counting the quantity (or number) of controlled receivingapparatuses and the quantity (or number) of content numbers. At stepS142, the comparator 122 sequentially acquires the buffered receivingapparatus identification numbers and the content numbers correspondingthereto. Furthermore, when storage media are designated on thetransmission side, storage identifiers are also acquired sequentially.At step S144, the content number group to be accumulated this time onthe private data buffer is compared with the content number group havingalready been stored (or kept) on another private buffer.

When these number groups coincide with each other, the remaining amountof the corresponding private buffer is acquired (at step S145). At stepS146, the acquired remaining amount of the buffer is judged. When theamount is less than its limit, a receiving apparatus identificationnumber is additionally accumulated on the private buffer, the quantityis added to the counter for counting the quantity of the controlledreceiving apparatuses and accumulated (at step S148). When the remainingamount of the buffer is insufficient, a descriptor header is added tothe corresponding private data buffer to generate a descriptor, and thedescriptor is buffered (step S149). Furthermore, at step S150, a newprivate data buffer is reserved, and the initial value of the quantityof the controlled receiving apparatuses, the receiving apparatusidentification numbers, the quantity of content numbers matching to thecontent numbers to be accumulated and content numbers are accumulated.

Furthermore, when a storage medium is designated on the transmissionside, a storage identifier is also extracted at step S142. Stillfurther, at step S150, the storage identifier is stored for each contentnumber.

When the content number group to be accumulated this time does notcoincide with the content number group having already been stored (orkept) on another private buffer, a new private data buffer is reserved(or secured), and the initial value of the quantity of the controlledreceiving apparatuses, the receiving apparatus identification numbers,the quantity of content numbers matching to the content numbers to beaccumulated and content numbers are accumulated (at step S151). Stillfurther, when a storage medium is designated on the transmission side, astorage identifier is stored for each content number. Theabove-mentioned processing is repeated until the end of the bufferaccumulated on the comparator 122 is detected (at step S143). When theend of the buffer is detected, descriptor headers are added to all theprivate data buffers kept on the descriptor generator 123 to generatedescriptors (at step S147).

The descriptor generator 123 sends the buffered descriptor to thecontent sending section 11 by using the descriptor signal 15 shown inFIG. 4. The content sending section 11 forms the received descriptorinto the conditional access packet 310, and it is inserted into thebroadcast stream 31.

Next, the construction of the receiving apparatuses 21 and 22 forreceiving the broadcast stream 31 is shown in FIG. 10. The receivingapparatus comprises a receiving section 210 capable of receiving thebroadcast stream 31 at all times, a storage (or accumulation) controlsection 212 for carrying out control for accumulating contents on thebasis of the receiving apparatus control information, plural kinds ofstorage media 223, 224 and 225 connected to the storage control section212, an identifier storage section 211 for holding a storage mediumselection table including storage identifiers for identifying receivingapparatus identification numbers, kinds of storage media and individualstorage media, and a decoding section 213 for decoding a content sentfrom the receiving section 210 via a passage 215 and a content read froma storage medium and sent via a passage 222.

The details of the receiving section 210 is shown in FIG. 11. Thereceiving section 210 comprises a tuner 2100, an MPEG2 transport streamdecoder 2101, a packet filter 2102, a content acquisition limitinformation packet decoder 2103 and a distributor 2104. The tuner 2100receives the broadcast stream and decodes it by using the MPEG2transport stream decoder 2101. Among the decoded streams, the streamincluding contents is sent to a passage 2105 and other streams are sentto a passage 2106. The streams sent to the passage 2106 are filtered bythe packet filter 2102. Only the packet including content acquisitionlimit information is filtered by the packet filter 2102, and decoded bythe content acquisition limit information packet decoder 2103. Otherpackets are output to a passage 217.

According to the result of the comparison between the decoded result ofthe content acquisition limit information packet and the limitinformation acquired from the passage 218, the output of the contentstream sent to the passage 2105 is controlled. In the case of output,the content stream is distributed by the distributor 2104 and sent fromthe passage 215 to the decoder 213 and also sent from the passage 216 tothe storage control section 212. The control of the tuner 2100 ispossible by control by the user of the receiving apparatus and bycontrol from the storage control section 212 via a passage 221.

The construction of the storage control section 212 is shown in FIG. 12.Furthermore, receiving apparatus storage (or accumulation) controlprocessing will be described by using the charts shown in FIGS. 19 and20. A packet from the passage 217 is a packet output from the receivingsection 210 and becomes the input to a packet filter 2120 (at stepS161). When the packet filter 2120 detects a packet including sectioninformation (at steps S162 and S167), the packet is sent to a sectioninformation decoder 2127. The section information decoder 2127 extractsan electronic program guide from section information (at step S168). Theelectronic program guide includes content forming information, and thisis used as a time standard for accumulating contents automatically. Thecontent numbers, time information and tuner control information of allthe formed and transmitted contents are acquired from the electronicprogram guide and stored on an electronic program guide holding memory2128 (at step S169).

When the packet filter 2120 detects a packet including receivingapparatus control information (at step S162), the packet is sent to areceiving apparatus control information descriptor decoder 2121. Thereceiving apparatus control information descriptor decoder 2121 decodesthe descriptor (at step S163). Furthermore, private data is decoded, anda receiving apparatus identification number to be controlled isextracted from the private data (at step S164). The acquired receivingapparatus identification number is sent to a comparator 2122. Thecomparator 2122 compares the receiving apparatus identification numberacquired from the receiving apparatus control information descriptordecoder 2121 with the unique receiving apparatus identification numberacquired from the identifier storage section 211 via a passage 219 (atstep S165).

When the receiving apparatus identification numbers coincide with eachother, the receiving apparatus control information descriptor decoder2121 acquires a content number quantity and a content number from thedecoded private data (at steps S166 and S171). The content number isthen sent to the comparator 2123. The comparator 2123 compares thecontent number with all content numbers obtained from the electronicprogram guide stored on the electronic program guide holding memory 2128(at step S172).

When a coincident content number is detected, the content timeinformation and tuner control information corresponding thereto areacquired from the electronic program guide and sent to the receivingapparatus control information descriptor decoder 2121. The receivingapparatus control information descriptor decoder 2121 sends the contentnumber again to the comparator 2122 to select a storage identifier. Thecomparator 2122 acquires a storage identifier corresponding to the kindof the content from the storage (or accumulation) medium identificationtable in the identifier storage section 211 shown in FIG. 13 and sendsit to the receiving apparatus control information descriptor decoder2121. The receiving apparatus control information descriptor decoder2121 buffers the storage identifier acquired from the comparator 2122,the time information of the content to be accumulated which is acquiredfrom the comparator 2123 and tuner control information (at steps S173and S174). The above-mentioned processing is repeated until the contentnumber quantity extracted from the private data is reached (at stepS170).

When the content number quantity is reached, the storage identifier,time information and tuner control information buffered in the receivingapparatus control information descriptor decoder 2121 are stored (orkept) on a storage reservation information holding memory 2125 (at stepS175). A storage controller 2126 monitors the storage reservationinformation holding memory 2125 by using a timer. When the timecoincides with the time information stored (or kept) on the storage (oraccumulation) reservation information holding memory 2125, tuner controlinformation corresponding to the time information is obtained, and thetuner 2100 of the receiving section 210 is controlled via the passage221. A content stream is then obtained from the receiving section 210via the passage 216. The storage (or accumulation) controller 2126accumulates the content stream on one of storage media designated by thestorage identifier stored on the storage reservation information holdingmemory 2125.

On the basis of the storage medium identification table shown in FIG.13, the storage controller 2126 recognizes the storage medium havingbeen connected, determines the kind of the medium and sends the storageidentifier to an identifier storage section controller 2129. Theidentifier storage section controller 2129 determines the storage mediumcorresponding to the kind of the content and forms a storage mediumidentification table in the identifier storage section 211 via thepassage 220.

The identifier storage section 211 may include a storage controlinformation storage section. Furthermore, the above-mentioned identifierstorage section 211 may include a receiving apparatus identifier storagesection.

The above-mentioned storage (or accumulation) control section 212 mayinclude the function of a storage identifier acquisition section.Furthermore, the above-mentioned storage control section 212 may includethe function of a receiving apparatus identifier acquisition section.

In this embodiment, although it is explained that the receivingapparatus identifier is a number unique to a receiving apparatus, theidentifier is not limited to this, but may be an identifier for aplurality of receiving apparatuses. For example, the receiving apparatusidentifier may be a region identifier for identifying a region in whicha receiving apparatus is present. Means for identifying a receivingapparatus by using a region identifier is similar to the case of areceiving apparatus identification number in accordance with thisembodiment.

Furthermore, a judgment section 271 for identifying a receivingapparatus may be independent as shown in FIG. 21. The above-mentionedjudgment section 271 compares the receiving apparatus identifier, of thereceiving apparatus itself, stored on a receiving apparatus identifierstorage section 272, with a receiving apparatus identifier received bythe receiving section 210. At this time, even when there is a partialcoincidence, it may be judged that data to be received by the receivingsection 210 is obtained. In other words, even when the two receivingapparatus identifiers do not coincide completely with each other, it maybe judged that the data is obtained.

For example, when a receiving apparatus identifier is formed of eightbytes, the first four bytes are allocated to a region identifier forspecifying a region and the last four bytes are allocated to eachreceiving apparatus, and when a first receiving apparatus identifierspecifies only the region identifier formed of the first four bytes, andwhen the first and second receiving apparatus identifiers coincide withthe first four bytes, it may be assumed that they have “a certainrelation.”

According to the first embodiment of the present invention describedabove, it is possible to accumulate a content designated by the user orthe like on a plurality of receiving apparatuses connected to pluralkinds of storage media automatically and simultaneously. It is possibleto automatically accumulate the content specified by the user or thelike on specified media automatically.

In this embodiment, although it is explained that the storage media arealways connected securely to the storage controller 2126, it is notnecessary that the storage media are always connected securely thereto,but a similar effect can be obtained even when the storage media areconnected as necessary.

Furthermore, the storage medium identification table formed in theidentifier storage section 211 is not limited to the storage mediumselection table based on the kind of content, but the table can beformed as a table for selecting storage media according to dataattributes, such as content size and transmission time zone.

Furthermore, the storage identifier is a unique fixed value for eachstorage medium. Still further, the selection of the storage mediumconnected to the receiving apparatus on the transmission side is madepossible by making selection at the transmission apparatus 1, by addingthe selection to the receiving apparatus control information and byinserting the information in the broadcast stream 31, other than theselection of a storage medium by using the storage control section 212.

The above-mentioned storage control operation in the receiving apparatusmay be realized by a program readable by computers, and the program maybe distributed by using recording media readable by computers. Thetransmitting and receiving system in accordance with this embodiment isexplained by using broadcast streams; however, it is not limited tothis, but it can be realized by using communication means, such ascommunication packets.

This embodiment is just an embodiment, and it is needless to say thatother forms for embodying the invention in accordance with the claimsare included in the present invention. This is applicable to thefollowing embodiments similarly.

Second Embodiment

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below byusing FIG. 22 to FIG. 26. FIG. 22 is a view showing a generalconstruction of a broadcasting system in accordance with this embodimentwherein a recording apparatus user and a network apparatus are used. InFIG. 22, a transmitting apparatus 1 and a broadcast stream 31 withreceiving apparatus control information have the same functions as thoseshown. FIG. 1 used to explain the first embodiment. Furthermore, asexplained in the first embodiment, the user A uses the receivingapparatus 21 having the receiving apparatus identification number ID(A1) and installed in the region R1 indicating a home or office in aregion obtained by division as a minimum administrative district unitand the receiving apparatus 22 having the receiving apparatusidentification number ID (A2) and installed in the region R2 indicatinga home or office in a region obtained by division as a minimumadministrative district unit, different from the region R1. Herein, byoperation on a network apparatus 41 by the user A, connection is made toa management apparatus 51 via a telephone line 202, the Internet 201 anda telephone line 204, and information transmission and reception arecarried out. Furthermore, the management apparatus is connected to thereceiving apparatus control information management section 12 of thetransmitting apparatus 1 via the telephone line 204, the Internet 201and a telephone line 205.

The regions R1 and R2 may be regions based on homes, school districts,commercial facilities, etc. or regions based on logical concepts,instead of regions based on the administrative district unit.Furthermore, the regions R1 and R2 may be the same region or may bedifferent regions.

FIG. 23 shows the detailed construction of the management apparatus 51of FIG. 22. In FIG. 23, the management apparatus 51 comprises atransmitting and receiving control section 510, a personal fixedinterest degree data holding memory 511, a personal interest degreethreshold value data holding memory 512, a personal data control section513 and a control information transmission section 521.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned transmitting and receiving controlsection 510 is an example of the above-mentioned attribute informationrecording section. The above-mentioned personal interest degreethreshold value data holding memory 512 is an example of theabove-mentioned attribute information group storage section. Theabove-mentioned personal fixed interest degree data holding memory 511is an example of a part of the above-mentioned data group storagesection. The above-mentioned personal data control section 513 is anexample of the above-mentioned data acquisition regulation storagesection. The above-mentioned transmitting and receiving control section510 is an example of the above-mentioned attribute information receivingsection.

The transmitting and receiving control section 510 is connected to thenetwork apparatus 41 of the user A via the telephone line 204, theInternet 201 and the telephone line 202 as shown in FIG. 22.Furthermore, the transmitting and receiving control section 510 isconnected to the receiving apparatus control information managementsection 12 via the telephone line 204, the Internet 201 and thetelephone line 205.

Next, the operation for registering personal information in themanagement apparatus 51 by the user who uses the receiving apparatus andthe operation of the management apparatus 51 will be described by usingFIG. 23. First, the information transmitted from the network apparatus41 by the operation of the user A is received by the transmitting andreceiving control section 510 via the telephone line 202, the Internet201 and the telephone line 204. Furthermore, if the transmittedinformation is the initial registration data of the user A, theinformation is transmitted to the personal data control section 513. Ifthe transmitted information is a piece of fixed interest degreeinformation having a fixed interest relative to the data of the user A,the information is stored on the personal fixed interest degree dataholding memory 511. The personal fixed interest degree data holdingmemory 511 is a fixed interest degree information storage section forstoring a personal fixed interest degree data table. If the transmittedinformation is additional information for charging the fixed interestdegree for the data of the user A, the transmitted information isregistered in a personal interest degree index data table, describedlater, which is stored on the personal interest degree threshold valuedata holding memory 512. The personal data control section 513 is astorage (or accumulation) control section for carrying out at least oneof selection of data to be accumulated on a storage (or accumulation)medium, and selection of a storage medium, from the personal fixedinterest degree information and the additional information.

FIG. 24 is a view showing a flow of a procedure for registering thepersonal information of the user A in the management apparatus 51. Atthe time of the registration, the user A first transmits the personalinformation, such as his or her name, address and the receivingapparatus identification number of the receiving apparatus to be used.Initial registration is carried out by this transmission, and theregistration ID (A1) is obtained from the management apparatus 51. Atthis time, the management apparatus 51 forms and manages (oradministers) a receiving apparatus identification number tableexemplified in FIG. 26. The receiving apparatus identification tableshown in FIG. 26 indicates that the user A uses the receivingapparatuses having ID (A1) and ID (A2) as the receiving apparatusidentification numbers and that these have been registered.

Next, the user A transmits an interest degree for each kind of content,i.e., personal fixed interest degree data, and registers the data in themanagement apparatus 51 and then receives an approval notice. At thistime, the management apparatus 51 forms a personal fixed interest degreedata table exemplified in FIG. 27, and controls the table by using thepersonal data control section 513. The personal fixed interest degreedata table shown in FIG. 27, for example, indicates that the interestdegree of the user A in content kind number 00 is “1.0” and that theinterest degree in content kind number 01 is “−2.5.”

Additional information for raising the selection accuracy of contents tobe recorded automatically in a recording apparatus used by the user Awill be exemplified herein. The user A determines a degree (hereafter,referred to as an index) indicating his or her daily livingenvironments, i.e., his or her current mental conditions and physicalconditions or his or her surrounding conditions, and transmits the indexto the managing apparatus 51. The user registers this transmitted indexin the managing apparatus 51. Also, by transmitting the index to themanaging apparatus 51, the user A determines beforehand as to what kindof effect is given on the personal fixed interest degree in data, andalso registers this in the managing apparatus 51 beforehand.

For example, when the user A judges the kind of content to be recordedautomatically in a recording apparatus to be used, if the fixed interestdegree for each kind of content having already been registered is largerthan a certain value (the above-mentioned personal interest degreethreshold value, 0.0 for example), it is judged that the contentbelonging to the corresponding kind of content is recordedautomatically. As shown in FIG. 29, it is assumed that “the degree ofhealth,” “the degree of time to spare” and “family budget”, for example,are determined as indexes, that “−1.5,” “−2.0” and “+1.5” are determinedrespectively as personal interest degree threshold data and that theseare registered. Furthermore, as exemplified in FIG. 28, it is assumedthat, by transmitting the storage identifier of the storage (oraccumulation) medium desired to be used by the user A for each kind ofcontent to the managing apparatus 51 and by registering the storage (oraccumulation) identifier therein, the storage medium or the kind ofstorage medium on which the content is accumulated can be designated.

A method for designating the storage medium or the kind thereof iscarried out by initialization in the managing apparatus 51 as shown inFIG. 25. Furthermore, a change is attained by issuing a change notice tothe managing apparatus 51 as shown in FIG. 31.

In addition, by sending an index as necessary (for example, everyday) tothe managing apparatus 51 (in other words, by transmitting additionalinformation), the user A can change the personal interest degreethreshold value data.

For example, as exemplified in FIG. 30, the user A operates the networkapparatus 41 to notify transmission start to the managing apparatus 51,whereby the transmitting and receiving control section 510 of FIG. 23reads the personal interest degree threshold value data table(exemplified in FIG. 29) stored (or kept) once on the personal interestdegree threshold value data holding memory 512 and issues a preparationcompletion notice.

Next, the user A notifies an index desired to be changed, whereby thetransmitting and receiving control section 510 makes an inquiry aboutthe current value of the current personal interest degree thresholdvalue data corresponding to the index and also makes an inquiry abouthow the value is desired to be changed. In response to the inquiries,the user A designates a value to change the value of the personalinterest degree threshold value data. FIG. 30 shows an example wherein“the degree of time to spare” is changed from “−2.0” to“−1.0.”Furthermore, when the storage medium on which contents areaccumulated or the kind of the storage medium is desired to be changed,a notice of change of the storage identifier of the storage mediumdesired to be changed by the user A for each kind of content istransmitted to the managing apparatus 51 as shown in FIG. 31.

As described above, the managing apparatus 51 forms the receivingapparatus identification number table shown in FIG. 26, the personalfixed interest degree data table shown in FIG. 27 and the personalinterest degree threshold value data table shown in FIG. 29. Thereceiving apparatus identification number table, the personal fixedinterest degree data table and the personal interest degree thresholdvalue data table are generated, the quantity (or number) of each tablebeing equal to the number of the users managed by the managing apparatus51; the receiving apparatus identification table is stored on thepersonal data control section 513, the personal fixed interest degreedata table is stored on the personal fixed interest degree data holdingmemory 511, and the personal interest degree threshold value data tableis stored on the personal interest degree threshold value data holdingmemory 512; and these tables are then managed.

A procedure for judging the kind of content to be automatically recordedin a recording apparatus to be used by the user A will be hereindescribed in accordance with the construction of the managementapparatus 51 shown in FIG. 23 and with the flowchart shown in FIG. 32.The personal data control section 513 of the management apparatus 51starts judgment by determining a user to be judged at a predeterminedtiming and on the basis of a predetermined standard.

Next, the personal data control section 513 reads the personal interestdegree threshold value data table (exemplified in FIG. 29) of the userto be judged, from the personal interest degree threshold value dataholding memory 512 (at step S212). The personal data control section 513determines the personal interest degree threshold value of the user tobe judged, on the basis of the personal interest degree threshold valuedata table having been read (for example, on the basis of the average ofthe values of all items or on the basis of the sum of the values of allitems)(at step S213). For example, the personal interest degreethreshold value of the user A is determined as (−1.0) as shown in FIG.33.

Next, the personal data control section 513 reads the personal fixedinterest degree data table of the user to be judged, from the personalfixed interest degree data holding memory 511 (at step S214). Then, thepersonal data control section 513 compares the value of interest degreewith the personal interest degree threshold value (−1.0) shown in FIG.33 for each kind of content registered in the personal fixed interestdegree data table as shown in FIG. 27 for example (at step S216).

When the value of the interest degree is larger than the personalinterest degree threshold value, the personal data control section 513judges that a content belonging to this kind of content should berecorded automatically in a recording apparatus to be used by the userA, and forms a transmission content kind number table by using thecontent kind number as shown in FIG. 34 (at step S217). As describedabove, for all users to be judged, the personal interest degreethreshold value for each user is used to judge each kind of content.

In the end, the personal data control section 513 delivers controlinformation including the information of the formed transmission contentkind number table shown in FIG. 34 and the information of the receivingapparatus identification number table managed by each user shown in FIG.26 to the control information transmission section 521, and the controlinformation transmission section 521 issues a notice to the receivingapparatus control information management section 12 of the receivingapparatus 1 shown in FIG. 22 via the telephone line 204, the Internet201 and the telephone line 205. As explained in the first embodiment,the receiving apparatus control information management section 12determines a content desired to be recorded automatically in therecording apparatus to be used by the user, and the receiving apparatus1 transmits the broadcast stream 31 with receiving apparatus controlinformation.

As described above, when selecting a content to be recordedautomatically in the recording apparatus used by the user, the selectionstandard of the kind can be made to accurately follow the change intaste due to the effect of daily living environments of the user. Hence,in comparison with the case wherein a content to be recordedautomatically on the basis of only the fixed attribute standard(personal fixed interest degree data) that is not changed is judged, acontent more strongly reflecting the current interest degree and thedegree of content request of the user A is judged and can be accumulatedon the desired storage medium.

In this embodiment, the management apparatus having the controlinformation transmission section 521 for transmitting controlinformation obtained from the personal data control section 513 isexplained. Alternatively, a control information storage section foraccumulating control information obtained from the personal data controlsection 513 may be provided. In this case, it may be possible that thecontrol information stored (or kept) on the control information storagesection is copied on a recording medium readable by computers and istransferred to the receiving apparatus control information managementsection 12.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, it is explained that the personal datacontrol section selects data accumulated on a storage medium.Alternatively, plural storage media connected to the receiving apparatusof the user may be selected, as explained in the first embodiment.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, it is explained that a personalinterest degree threshold value data table is formed and stored on thepersonal interest degree threshold value data holding memory.Alternatively, it is be possible to start the procedure for judging thekind of content to be recorded automatically in the recording apparatusto be used by the user by directly calculating a personal interestdegree threshold value when the transmitting and receiving controlsection receives additional information and by immediately sending anotice to the personal data control section.

In this embodiment, the above-mentioned personal data control section513 is explained as an example of the above-mentioned data acquisitionregulation storage section. Furthermore, the data acquisition regulationstored on the above-mentioned data acquisition regulation storagesection is a regulation determined by the following n parameters.

y_(n) is a regulation determined by expression f(x₁, x₂, . . . , x_(n)).

The parameters and expressions for the above-mentioned relationalexpression in this embodiment are described below.

y_(n) . . . a fixed interest degree for each kind of content

x₁ . . . an interest degree threshold value for the degree of health

x₂ . . . an interest degree threshold value for the degree of time tospare

x₃ . . . an interest degree threshold value for family budget

n . . . 3

f(x ₁ , x ₂ , . . . , x _(n))=(x ₁ + . . . +x _(n))

y _(n) >f(x ₁ , x ₂ , . . . , x _(n))

The above-mentioned relational expression may be anything, provided thatit designates a regulation.

This embodiment is just an embodiment, and it is needless to say thatother forms for embodying the invention in accordance with the claimsare included in the present invention.

Third Embodiment

A third embodiment of the present invention will be described below byusing FIG. 35 to FIG. 46. FIG. 35 is a view showing a generalconstruction of a transmitting and receiving system in accordance withthis embodiment wherein recording apparatus users and network apparatusare used. In FIG. 35, a transmitting apparatus 1 and a broadcast stream31 with receiving apparatus control information have the same functionsas those shown FIG. 1 used to explain the first embodiment. Furthermore,as explained in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 22, the user A usesthe receiving apparatus 21 having the receiving apparatus identificationnumber ID (A1) and installed in the region R1 indicating a home oroffice in a region obtained by division as a minimum administrativedistrict unit and the receiving apparatus 22 having the receivingapparatus identification number ID (A2) and installed in the region R2indicating a home or office in a region obtained by division as aminimum administrative district unit, different from the region R1.

A user B uses a receiving apparatus 23 having a receiving apparatusidentification number ID (B1) and installed in the region R2, and a userC uses a receiving apparatus 24 having a receiving apparatusidentification number ID (C1) and installed in the region R2.

Furthermore, a user Y uses a receiving apparatus 25 having a receivingapparatus identification number ID (Y1) and installed in a region R3indicating a home or office in a region obtained by division as aminimum administrative district unit, different from the regions R1 andR2, and a user Z uses a receiving apparatus 26 having a receivingapparatus identification number ID (Z1) and installed in the same regionR3 as that for the user Y.

The regions R1, R2 and R3 may be regions based on homes, schooldistricts, commercial facilities, etc. or regions based on logicalconcepts, instead of regions based on the administrative district unit.Furthermore, the regions R1, R2 and R3 may be the same region or may bedifferent regions.

Furthermore, the user A, the user B and the user C belong to a grouphaving a group number G1, and the user A, the user Y and the user Zbelong to a group having a group number G2, and the user A belongs tothe groups G1 and G2. The same content kind number is recordedautomatically in the receiving apparatuses used by the users belongingto the same group.

The user A operates the network apparatus 41, thereby connecting to amanagement apparatus 52 via the telephone line 202, the Internet 201 andthe telephone line 204 and then transmitting and receiving information.

Furthermore, the user B, the user C, the user Y and the user Z operate anetwork apparatus 42, a network apparatus 43, a network apparatus 44 anda network apparatus 45, respectively, just like the user A, therebyconnecting to the management apparatus 52 via the telephone line 203,the telephone line 206, the telephone line 207, the Internet 201 and thetelephone line 204 and then transmitting and receiving information.Furthermore, the managing apparatus 52 is connected to the receivingapparatus control information management section 12 of the receivingapparatus 1 via the telephone line 204, the Internet 201 and thetelephone line 205.

Next, a procedure for registering personal information in the managementapparatus 52 by the user who uses the receiving apparatus will bedescribed by using FIG. 35 to FIG. 43. FIG. 36 shows a construction ofthe managing apparatus 52 in accordance with the third embodiment. InFIG. 36, the management apparatus 52 comprises a transmitting andreceiving control section 510, a personal fixed interest degree dataholding memory 511, a personal data control section 513, a group datacontrol section 516, a group fixed interest degree data holding memory517 and a control information transmission section 521. The group fixedinterest degree data holding memory 517 is an example of a part of adata group storage section. In other words, the data group storagesection may manage a plurality of interest degree data (attributeinformation values) of one person, or may manage a plurality of interestdegree data (attribute information values) of plural persons. The groupdata control section 516 is an example of a data acquisition regulationstorage section. The transmitting and receiving control section 510, thepersonal data control section 513 and the personal fixed interest degreedata holding memory 511 have the same functions as those of the managingapparatus 51 of FIG. 23 used in the explanation of the secondembodiment.

As shown in FIG. 35, the transmitting and receiving control section 510is connected to the network apparatus 41 of the user A via the telephoneline 204, the Internet 201 and the telephone line 202, to the networkapparatus 42 of the user B via the telephone line 203, to the networkapparatus 43 of the user C via the telephone line 206, to the networkapparatus 44 of the user Y via the telephone line 207, to the networkapparatus 45 of the user Z via the telephone line 208, and to thereceiving apparatus control information management section 12 via thetelephone line 204, the Internet 201 and the telephone line 205. Theinformation transmitted from each network apparatus by the operation ofeach user is received by the transmitting and receiving control section510 via the telephone line and the Internet 201. Furthermore, if thetransmitted information is group registration information, theinformation is transmitted to the group data control section 516. Thegroup data control section 516 registers a group name, extracts thepersonal fixed interest degree data of the user belonging to the groupfrom the personal fixed interest degree data holding memory 511,generates group fixed interest degree data from the personal fixedinterest degree data, and stores the group fixed interest degree data onthe group fixed interest degree data holding memory 517. The personalfixed interest degree data, and the group fixed interest degree datawill be described later in detail.

FIG. 37 is a view showing a flow of a procedure for registering a userand for registering a group in the management apparatus 52. In FIG. 37,the user A first transmits personal information, such as his or hername, address and the receiving apparatus identification number of thereceiving apparatus to be used and predetermined information (hereafter,referred to as predetermined information), such as a usage period, tothe managing apparatus, whereby initial registration is carried out, andthe user obtains the registration ID (A1) and the registration ID (A2)from the managing apparatus 52. Since the user A installs the receivingapparatuses at two positions in the region R1 and the region R2 asexplained in FIG. 35, the user A acquires two registration IDs.Furthermore, the user B can also acquire the registration ID (B1) bycarrying out initial registration just as in the case of the user A,although this is not shown in FIG. 37.

Next, the user transmits an interest degree for each kind of contentexemplified in FIG. 3, i.e., personal fixed interest degree data,registers the data in the management apparatus 52, and then receives anapproval notice. At this time, the management apparatus 52 forms apersonal fixed interest degree data table on the basis of the personalfixed interest degree data and carries out management (oradministration). The personal fixed interest degree data table will bedescribed later in detail.

Next, a procedure for carrying out group registration for the user A andthe user B will be explained. When the user A applies for a group numberto the managing apparatus, the managing apparatus 52 selects a groupnumber from a group management table having already been prepared,determines an unassigned group number (G1), and forms a group managementtable. After determining the group number (G1) of the user A, themanaging apparatus 52 registers the fact that the user A having joinedthe group number (G1) is registered in the personal fixed interestdegree data of the user A described in FIG. 27, and notifies the groupnumber (G1) to the user A. The user A notifies the group number (G1)notified by the managing apparatus 52 to the user B in order to carryout group registration so as to be grouped with the user B by whom thekind of content to be transmitted from the transmitting apparatus 1 isshared. In order to carry out grouping so as to belong to the same groupto which the user A belongs, the user B applies for group entry to themanaging apparatus 52 by transmitting the group number (G1) notifiedfrom the user A and predetermined information to the managing apparatus52. After receiving the predetermined information and the groupinginformation, i.e., a group number, from the user B, the managingapparatus 52 refers to the group number from the group management table,confirms the group number (G1), registers the user B in the group G1,and renews the group management table. After the renewal of the groupmanagement table is carried out, the managing apparatus 52 refers to thepersonal fixed interest degree data of the user A and the user Bbelonging to the group number (G1), calculates group fixed interestdegree data on the basis of the personal fixed interest degree data andforms a group fixed interest degree data table. Furthermore, after thegroup fixed interest degree data table is formed, the managing apparatus52 notifies group entry permission to the user B, thereby completinggroup registration. The group fixed interest degree data table will bedescribed later in detail. Furthermore, although not shown in FIG. 37, amethod for applying for group entry of the user C into the group numberG1 is similar to that for the user B.

As described above, the managing apparatus 52 shown in FIG. 35 registersand manages the receiving apparatuses of the users on the basis of thepredetermined information sent from the users, forms a receivingapparatus identification number table for each user, receives personalfixed interest degree data indicating the interest degree for each kindof content from the user, forms a personal fixed interest degree datatable, and carries out management. Furthermore, the managing apparatus52 forms a group manages table and a group fixed interest degree datatable on the basis of the grouping information from the users andcarries out management. In addition, the managing apparatus 52 receivesa storage (or accumulation) identifier identifying a storage (oraccumulation) medium for content storage (or accumulation) per each kindof content and can carry out management.

FIG. 38 is a view showing a receiving apparatus identification numbertable. The receiving apparatus identification table indicates that theuser A uses the receiving apparatuses having the registration ID (A1)and the registration ID (A2) as receiving apparatus identificationnumbers and that the user B uses the receiving apparatus having ID (B1)as a receiving apparatus identification number.

FIG. 39 shows a user management table. The user management table hasinformation upon receiving apparatus identification numbers and usageperiods. The management table indicates that the user A uses thereceiving apparatuses having the registration ID (A1) and theregistration ID (A2) as receiving apparatus identification numbers, thatthe receiving apparatuses 21 and 22 having the registration ID (A1) andthe registration ID (A2) can carry out reception in the period from Aug.1, 1999 to Aug. 31, 1999, and that only the receiving apparatuses 21having the registration ID (A1) can carry out reception in the periodfrom Sep. 1, 1999 to Sep. 30, 1999. Furthermore, the management tableindicates that the user B uses the receiving apparatus 23 having theregistration ID (B1) as a receiving apparatus identification number andthat there is no limit in the usage period.

FIG. 40 is a view showing a personal fixed interest degree data table.In the personal fixed interest degree data table, the user's interestdegrees for the content kind numbers explained in FIG. 36 is representednumerically in 11 steps from “−2.5” to “2.5” at 0.5 step intervals, inwhich “−2.5” means “not interested at all” and “2.5” means “very muchinterested.” The personal fixed interest degree data table indicatesthat the user A's interest degree for the content kind number 00 is“1.0” and that user A's interest degree for the content kind number 01is “−2.5.” Furthermore, FIG. 41 indicates that the storage identifier ofthe storage medium designated by a user in the personal fixed interestdegree data table can be managed for each kind of content.

FIG. 43 is a view showing a group management data table. The groupmanagement data table indicates that the users belonging to the groupnumber “G1” are three persons, the user A, the user B and the user C.

FIG. 44 is a view showing a group fixed interest degree data table. Thegroup fixed interest degree data table refers to the users belonging toa group according to the group management table and holds calculatednumerals, i.e., the average values of the personal fixed interest degreedata of the users according to the personal fixed interest degree datatable. The group fixed interest degree data table indicates that thegroup number G1 has an interest degree of “0.5” for the content kindnumber 00 and has an interest degree of “1.1” for the content kindnumber 01, for example.

As described above, the management apparatus 52 stores the receivingapparatus identification number table shown in FIG. 38, the personalfixed interest degree data table shown in FIG. 40 or FIG. 41, the groupmanagement data table shown in FIG. 43 and the personal fixed interestdegree data table shown in FIG. 44. In the receiving apparatusidentification number table and the personal fixed interest degree datatable, records (rows) corresponding to the number of users managedrespectively by the management apparatus are stored, and in the groupmanagement data table and the group fixed interest degree data table,records (rows) corresponding to the number of groups controlledrespectively by the management apparatus are stored. Furthermore, inFIG. 36, the receiving apparatus identification table is stored on thepersonal data control section 513 and managed, the personal fixedinterest degree data table is stored on the personal fixed interestdegree data holding memory 511 and managed, the group management tableis stored on the group data control section 516 and managed, and thegroup fixed interest degree data table is stored on the group fixedinterest degree data holding memory 517 and managed.

A procedure for judging the kind of content to be accumulatedautomatically on the storage (or accumulation) medium connected to thereceiving apparatus used by the user A will be described herein. FIG. 45is a view of a flowchart showing the procedure for judging the kind ofcontent. In FIG. 45, at step S600, judgment starts by determining a usersubjected to the judgment at a predetermined timing and on the basis ofa predetermined standard. The judgment is carried out until the judgmentfor all the users to be judged is completed. At step S601, the personaldata control section 513 reads the personal fixed interest degree datatable for the user A to be judged from the personal fixed interestdegree data holding memory 511 and also reads a personal fixed interestdegree threshold value (0.5) preset by the personal data control section513.

At step S602, the group data control section 516 reads a group fixedinterest degree threshold value (0.0) from the group fixed interestdegree data holding memory 517. This group fixed interest degreethreshold value (0.0) is preset by the group fixed interest degree datatable for the user A to be judged, shown in FIG. 44, and by the groupdata control section 516.

At step S603, on the basis of the personal fixed interest degreethreshold value determined at step S601 and the group fixed interestdegree threshold value determined at step S602, the judgment is carriedout until the judgment for all the content kinds registered by the userto be judged and by the group to which the user belongs is completed. Atstep S604, in the case of the judgment on personal interest degree, theprocedure advances to step S605; and in the case of the judgment ongroup fixed interest degree, the procedure advances to step S606. Atstep S605, the stored content kind is judged on the basis of thepersonal fixed interest degree threshold value determined at step S601.At step S606, the accumulated content kind is judged on the basis of thegroup fixed interest degree threshold value determined at step S602.Then, at step S607, the personal storage content kind judged at stepS605 and the group storage content kind judged at step S606 areregistered.

FIG. 42 is a view showing a personal storage content kind number table.The content kind numbers stored in this table are examples of theabove-mentioned data identifier. The personal storage content kindnumber table shown in FIG. 42 shows the result of the judgment accordingto the personal fixed interest degree threshold value. The numbers ofcontent kinds accumulated for the user A are “00” and “10,” and thenumbers of content kinds accumulated for the user B are “02,” “03” and“22.”

FIG. 46 is a view showing a group storage (or accumulation) content kindnumber table. As the result of the judgment depending on the group fixedinterest degree threshold value, the group storage content kind numbertable indicates that the content number accumulated (or written) for thegroup number G1 is “10” and that the content numbers accumulated (orwritten) for the group number G2 are “10” and “21.”

In this way, according to FIG. 42 and FIG. 46, the content kind numbersaccumulated with respect to the user A, judged on the basis of thepersonal fixed interest degree threshold value, are “00” and “10,” thecontent kind number accumulated with respect to the user A, judged onthe basis of the group fixed interest degree threshold value, is “10,”and the content kind number accumulated for the user A are “00” and“10.”

As described above, the contents conforming to the personal fixedinterest degrees and the contents conforming to the group fixed interestdegrees for plural users can be accumulated on the basis of the judgmentby the management apparatus that contents should be recordedautomatically in the recording apparatuses used by the users by usingthe personal fixed interest degree threshold values and the group fixedinterest degree threshold values.

In this way, control information including the information of thepersonal storage content kind number table stored (or kept) on thepersonal data control section 513, the information of the group storagecontent kind number table stored (or kept) on the group data controlsection 516 and the information of the receiving apparatusidentification number table managed by the group data control section516 is delivered to the control information transmission section 521.Furthermore, when controlling a storage identifier designated by a user,the group data control section 516 delivers control informationincluding the storage identifier designated by the user according to thepersonal fixed interest degree data table to the control informationtransmission section 521. The control information transmission section521 gives a notice to the receiving apparatus control informationmanagement section 12 of the transmitting apparatus 1 via the telephoneline 204, the Internet 201 and the telephone line 205. As described inthe above-mentioned first embodiment, the receiving apparatus controlinformation management section 12 determines the content desired to beaccumulated automatically on the storage medium connected to thereceiving apparatus used by each user, and the transmitting apparatus 1transmits a broadcast stream 31 with receiving apparatus controlinformation.

Hence, in accordance with this embodiment, a content intended to be usedby plural persons can be accumulated automatically for the pluralpersons who use the content.

In this embodiment, the above-mentioned personal data control section513 and the above-mentioned group data control section 516 areexplained, as an example of the above-mentioned data acquisitionregulation storage section. Also, the data acquisition regulation heldin the above-mentioned data acquisition regulation storage section is aregulation determined by the following n parameters.

y_(n) is a regulation determined by expression f(x₁, x₂, . . . , x_(n)).

The parameters and expressions for the above-mentioned relationalexpression in this embodiment are described below.

y_(an) . . . a fixed interest degree for each kind of content for theuser A

f(x _(a1) , x _(a2) , . . . , x _(an))=0.5

y _(an) >f(x _(a1) , x _(a2) , . . . , x _(an))  (Expression 3-1)

y_(bn), y_(cn), y_(yn) and y_(zn) corresponding to the user B, the userC, the user Y and the user Z are also determined by a regulation similarto (Expression 3-1).

Regulations for calculating fixed interest degrees for content kinds fora group are as described below.

y_(group00) . . . a fixed interest degree for content kind number 00 fora group

x_(group1)=y_(a00) . . . a fixed interest degree for content kind number00 for the user A

x_(group2)=y_(b00) . . . a fixed interest degree for content kind number00 for the user B

x_(group3)=y_(c00) . . . a fixed interest degree for content kind number00 for the user C

n=3

f(x _(group1) , x _(group2) , . . . x _(groupn))=(y _(a00) +y _(b00) +y_(c00))/n

y _(group00) =f(x _(group1) , x _(group2) , . . . , x_(groupn))  (Expression 3-2)

y_(group01), y_(group02), . . . corresponding to the content kindnumbers 01, 02, . . . are also calculated by a regulation similar to(Expression 3-2).

The judgment regulation of the fixed interest degree for the contentkind of a group is as described below.

y_(Gn)=y_(groupn) . . . a fixed interest degree for each content kindnumber of a group

f(x _(G1) , x _(G2) , . . . , x _(Gn))=0.0

y _(Gn) >f(x _(G1) , x _(G2) , . . . , x _(Gn))  (Expression 3-3)

A regulation similar to (Expression 3-3) applies to the case of othergroups.

The above-mentioned relational expression may be anything, provided thatit designates a regulation.

This embodiment is just an embodiment, and it is needless to say thatother forms for embodying the invention in accordance with the claimsare included in the present invention.

Although the personal fixed interest degree threshold value is 0.5 andthe group fixed interest degree threshold value is 0.0 in theexplanation of the flowchart of FIG. 45, the threshold values are notlimited to these values. Even when a user sets desired values, similareffects can be obtained.

An embodiment other than the above-mentioned embodiments can also beattained if it bases on the group fixed interest degree threshold value.

The operation for the above-mentioned storage control in the receivingapparatus may be attained by a program readable by computers, and theprogram may be distributed as recording media readable by computers.

Fourth Embodiment

Fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described by usingFIG. 47 to FIG. 55. Since the overall construction of the transmittingand receiving system is the same as that of the third embodiment shownin FIG. 35, the explanations of the same portions are omitted.

FIG. 47 is a view showing a construction of a management apparatus 53.In FIG. 47, the management apparatus 53 comprises a transmitting andreceiving control section 510, a personal data control section 513, apersonal fixed interest degree data holding memory 511, a group datacontrol section 516, a control information transmission section 521, agroup fixed interest degree data holding memory 517, a personal interestdegree threshold value data holding memory 512 and a group interestdegree threshold value data holding memory 520.

The transmitting and receiving control section 510, the personal datacontrol section 513, the personal fixed interest degree data holdingmemory 511, the group data control section 516 and the group fixedinterest degree data holding memory 517 have the same functions as thoseof the managing apparatus 52 of FIGS. 35 and 36 used in the explanationof the third embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 35, the transmitting and receiving control section 510is connected to the receiving apparatus control information managementsection 12 via the telephone lines and the Internet. The informationtransmitted from each network apparatus by the operation of each user isreceived by the transmitting and receiving control section 510 via thetelephone lines and the Internet 201.

If the transmitted information is registration information (additionalinformation) for changing the personal interest degree threshold valueas explained in FIG. 23, the transmitting and receiving control section510 transmits the information to the personal data control section 513and registers the information in the personal interest degree thresholdvalue data table stored on the personal interest degree threshold valuedata holding memory 512; and if the transmitted information is personalfixed interest degree data, the transmitting and receiving controlsection 510 accumulates (or writes) the information in the personalfixed interest degree data table stored in the personal fixed interestdegree data holding memory 511. Furthermore, the transmitting andreceiving control section 510 also stores the storage (or accumulation)identifier designated by a user as registration information on thepersonal interest degree threshold value data table.

Also, if the transmitted information is group registration information,the transmitting and receiving control section 510 transmits theinformation to the group data control section 516 as explained in FIG.36 in the third embodiment. The group data control section 516 registersthe information transmitted to the group management data table; and ifthe transmitted information is group fixed interest degree data, thegroup data control section 516 accumulates the data on the group fixedinterest degree data table stored on the group fixed interest degreedata holding memory 517.

Furthermore, if the transmitted information is registration informationfor changing the group interest degree threshold value, the transmittingand receiving control section 510 transmits the information to the groupdata control section 516. The group data control section 516 registersthe transmitted information in the group interest degree threshold valuedata table stored on the group interest degree threshold value dataholding memory 520.

A method for determining the group interest degree threshold value datawill be exemplified herein. The group interest degree threshold valuedata is used to enhance accuracy in the case of selecting accumulatedcontents.

In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 29, the personal interestdegree threshold value is determined by an index to enhance theselection accuracy of the accumulated contents and transmitted to themanagement apparatus, and the index is registered to the managementapparatus; however, in this embodiment, a personal interest degreethreshold value is determined by using a common index as an index beingcommon in a group as shown in FIG. 48. Still further, a group interestdegree threshold value is determined from the personal interest degreethreshold value of a group member.

FIG. 48 is a view showing personal interest degrees depending on commonindexes which are registered in the management apparatus by a certaingroup. In FIG. 48, the common indexes of the certain group, such as“busy,” “sleepy,” “unhealthy,” etc. and the personal interest degreethreshold values of a person constituting the group, such as “0.5,”“−0.5,” “1.0,” etc. are managed (or administered or controlled). Themanaged personal interest degree threshold values are registered asinitial values, for example.

Furthermore, by notifying the common indexes to the management apparatuswhen necessary (for example, everyday) and by renewing the personalinterest degree threshold values according to the common indexes, theuser A can change the group interest degree threshold value data. Thisis shown in FIG. 49.

Still further, by registering the common indexes in the managementapparatus 53, the user of the receiving apparatus determines what kindof effect is obtained for the personal interest degree threshold valuesbeforehand.

FIG. 49 is a personal interest degree threshold value data table showingthe personal interest degree threshold values according to the commonindexes at a certain time for the user A. In FIG. 49, the user A shows apersonal interest degree threshold value as a value of (1.0) by using acommon index of “having no time.”

FIG. 50 is a view showing a group interest degree threshold value datatable to be stored on the group interest degree threshold value dataholding memory 520 shown in FIG. 47. The group data control section 516stores the group interest degree threshold value data table in the groupinterest degree threshold value data holding memory 520 on the basis ofthe group management table, which is managed by itself, from thepersonal interest degree threshold value data table according to thecommon indexes stored on the personal interest degree threshold valuedata holding memory 512, and it carries out management. The groupinterest degree threshold value data table shows that the personalinterest degree threshold value data of all the users belonging to thegroup G1 is formed from the personal interest degree threshold valuedata table. In the group interest degree threshold value data table, theinterest degree threshold value according to a common index of “havingno time” is indicated as “1.0” for the user A, and the interest degreethreshold value according to a common index “busy” is indicated as “0.5”for the user B. Furthermore, in the group interest degree thresholdvalue data table, the interest degree threshold value for a common index“lonely” is indicated as “−0.5” for the user C. In this way, the tableshows the interest degrees according to the common indexes for thepersons belonging to the group.

FIG. 52 is a view showing the personal interest degree threshold valuefor a user belonging to the group G1. In FIG. 52, the personal interestdegree threshold value for the user A is calculated from the total ofthe interest degree data for the respective common indexes shown in FIG.49, and the view indicates that the result is “1.0.” Also, FIG. 53 is aview showing a group interest degree threshold value. The group interestdegree threshold value shown in FIG. 53 is calculated from the total ofthe interest degree data for each user according to the group interestdegree threshold value data table, and further calculated from the totalfor all the users. FIG. 53 indicates the total of the personal interestdegree threshold value “1.0” for the user A, the interest degreethreshold value “0.5” for the user B and the interest degree thresholdvalue “−0.5” for the user C.

FIG. 51 and FIG. 57 are flowcharts showing procedures for storagejudgment (or accumulation determination) on the kind of content. In FIG.51, at a predetermined timing, a user to be judged is determined on thebasis of a predetermined standard and judgment starts. The judgment iscarried out until the judgment for all the users to be judged iscompleted.

At step S701, a personal interest degree threshold value according to acommon index is calculated from the personal interest degree thresholdvalue data table according to the common indexes. At step S702, a groupinterest degree threshold value is calculated from the group interestdegree threshold value data table. At step S700, storage judgmentcontinues until the judgment for all the users constituting a group iscompleted. At step S703, the storage judgment for a content registeredin the personal fixed interest degree data table of FIG. 40, describedin the third embodiment, continues until all the contents are judged.

At step S704, the interest degree for a content registered in thepersonal fixed interest degree data table of FIG. 40, described in thethird embodiment, is compared with the personal interest degreethreshold value according to the common index shown in FIG. 52. Then, atstep S704, judgment is made as to whether the interest degree for thecontent is larger than the personal interest degree threshold value. Ifthe interest degree is larger, the procedure shifts to step S706; on theother hand, if not, the procedure shifts to step S703, and judgment forthe next content having been registered is carried out. At step S706,the kind number of the content judged so as to be accumulated is storedon the personal storage content kind data table shown in FIG. 54.

At step S705, the interest degree for a content registered in the groupfixed interest degree data table of FIG. 44, described in the thirdembodiment, is compared with the group interest degree threshold valueshown in FIG. 53. A judgment is made as to whether the interest degreefor the content is larger than the group interest degree thresholdvalue. If the interest degree is larger, the procedure shifts to stepS706 on the other hand; if not, the procedure shifts to step S703, andjudgment for the next content having been registered is carried out. Atstep S706, the kind number of the content judged so as to be accumulatedis stored on the group storage (or accumulation) content kind data tableshown in FIG. 55.

In this embodiment, the above-mentioned personal data control section513 and the above-mentioned group data control section 516 are explainedas an example of the above-mentioned data acquisition regulation storagesection. Also, the data acquisition regulation held in theabove-mentioned data acquisition regulation storage section is aregulation determined by the following n parameters.

y_(n) is a regulation determined by an expression f(x₁, x₂, . . . ,x_(n)).

The parameters and expressions for the above-mentioned relationalexpression in this embodiment are described below.

y_(an) . . . a fixed interest degree for each kind of content for theuser A

x_(a1) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “busy”

x_(a2) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “sleepy”

x_(a3) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “unhealthy”

x_(a4) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “tired”

x_(a5) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “no time”

x_(a6) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “no money”

x_(a7) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “very poor”

x_(a8) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “wishing to have aholiday”

x_(a9) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “lonely”

n . . . 9

f(x _(a1) , x _(a2) , . . . , x _(an))=(x _(a1) + . . . +x _(an))

y _(an) >f(x _(a1) , x _(a2) , . . . , x _(an))  (Expression 4-1)

y_(bn), y_(cn), y_(yn) and y_(zn) corresponding to the user B, the userC, the user Y and the user Z are also determined by a regulation similarto (Expression 4-1).

Regulations for calculating fixed interest degrees for content kinds fora group are as described below.

y_(group00) . . . a fixed interest degree for content kind number 00 fora group

x_(group1)=y_(a00) . . . a fixed interest degree for content kind number00 for the user A

x_(group2)=y_(b00) . . . a fixed interest degree for content kind number00 for the user B

x_(group3)=y_(c00) . . . a fixed interest degree for content kind number00 for the user C

n=3

f(x _(group1) , x _(group2) , . . . , x _(groupn))=(y _(a00) +y _(b00)+y _(c00))/n

y _(group00) =f(x _(group1) , x _(group2) , . . . , x_(groupn))  (Expression 4-2)

y_(group01), y_(group02), . . . corresponding to the content kindnumbers 01, 02, . . . are also calculated by a regulation similar to(Expression 4-2).

The judgment regulation of the fixed interest degree for the contentkind of a group is as described below.

y_(Gn)=y_(groupn) . . . a fixed interest degree for each content kindnumber of a group

x_(a1) an interest degree threshold value for “busy”

x_(a2) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “sleepy”

x_(a3) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “unhealthy”

x_(a4) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “tired”

x_(a5) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “no time”

x_(a6) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “no money”

x_(a7) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “very poor”

x_(a8) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “wishing to have aholiday”

x_(a9) . . . an interest degree threshold value for “lonely”

x_(b1) to x_(b9) and x_(c1) to x_(c9) are the interest degree thresholdvalues according to the respective common indexes for each person, justas in the case of the user A.

m . . . 9

f(x _(a1) , . . . , x _(am) , x _(b1) , . . . , x _(bm) , x _(c1) , . .. , x _(cm))=(x _(a1) + . . . +x _(am) +x _(b1) + . . . +x _(bm) +x_(c1) + . . . +x _(cm))

y _(Gn) >f f(x _(a1) , . . . , x _(am) , x _(b1) , . . . , x _(bm) , x_(c1) , . . . , x _(cm))  (Expression 4-3)

A regulation similar to (Expression 4-3) also applies to the case ofother groups.

The above-mentioned relational expression may be anything, provided thatit designates a regulation.

As described above, by using the personal interest degree thresholdvalues corresponding to daily changing living environments according tothe common indexes of each user and by using the group interest degreethreshold values for a group to which the user belongs, judgment is madeas to whether contents should be accumulated automatically on storage(or accumulation) media. Hence, the contents conforming to the personalinterest degrees and the living environments and the contents conformingto the group interest degrees for plural users can be stored.

In this way, control information including the information of thepersonal storage content kind number table formed by the personal datacontrol section 513, the information of the group storage content kindnumber table formed by the group data control section 516 and theinformation of the receiving apparatus identification number tablemanaged by itself is delivered to the control information transmissionsection 521, and the control information transmission section 521 givesa notice to the receiving apparatus control information managementsection 12 of the transmitting apparatus 1 via the telephone line 204,the Internet 201 and the telephone line 205. The receiving apparatuscontrol information management section 12 determines the content desiredto be accumulated automatically on the storage medium connected to thereceiving apparatus used by each user, and the transmitting apparatus 1transmits a broadcast stream 31 with receiving apparatus controlinformation.

Furthermore, the control information including the storage (oraccumulation) identifier designated by a user according to the personalfixed interest degree data table of FIG. 41 in the third embodiment isdelivered to the control information transmission section 521, wherebythe storage (or accumulation) medium can be designated and controlled onthe transmission side.

As described above, in accordance with the fourth embodiment of thepresent invention, at the time of selecting a content to be accumulatedautomatically on a storage medium, it is possible to allow the contentkind selection standard to accurately follow changes in taste owing tothe effect of daily living environments of a user; and it is thuspossible to carry out content judgment by more strongly reflecting thecurrent interest degree and content request degree of the user incomparison with the case wherein a content to be accumulatedautomatically is judged on the basis of the unchanged fixed attributestandard (the personal fixed interest degree data).

Furthermore, video/audio contents and other data contents to beaccumulated are not limited to personal uses, but in some cases whenused by plural persons they are used more effectively as contents forthe unification of topics of conversation. Considering such cases, aneffect that one content can be used effectively by plural persons isattained.

As described above, in accordance with the fourth embodiment of thepresent invention, by simultaneously accumulating contents onentertainment, such as movies, music and dramas, it is possible to unifytopics of conversation among grouped users; furthermore, bysimultaneously accumulating contents on auctions, games amongstopponents, etc., it is possible to easily realize the original purposesof the contents. Still further, in the case of contents on shopping, auser of the receiving apparatus in a group gives a notice that the userhas ordered a commodity via a accumulated content and that he/she hasbeen fully satisfied, to a user of another receiving apparatus. Theuser, of the receiving apparatus, having received the notice isstimulated and tries to order a similar commodity. Since the contents onshopping have already been stored (or kept) at this time on the storagemedium connected to the receiving apparatus to be used by the receivingapparatus user, the user can place an order immediately. For example, aguide advertisement for a group tour is a typical example of this.

A method for determining storage for the user A was explained in theembodiment of the present invention; likewise, storage is possible in asimilar way for the user B, the user C, the user Y and the user Z.Furthermore, in FIG. 35, a group is formed of six persons: the user A,the user B, the user C, the user Y and the user Z; and a similarembodiment can be attained regardless of the number of users.

Also, the operation for storage (or accumulation) control in thereceiving apparatus described above may be realized by a programreadable by computers, and the program may be delivered via recordingmedia readable by computers.

In the explanations of the second, third and fourth embodiments of thepresent invention, contents (hereafter referred to as data) are managedin the receiving apparatus 1; however, the present invention is notlimited to this. Data may be managed on the side of the managementapparatus 51 (52, 53).

Embodiments in this case will be described by using FIGS. 56, 57 and 58.

In the attribute information group storage section 541 of a managementapparatus 54 shown in FIG. 56, test marks of plural persons areaccumulated as personal attribute information values. In addition, onthe basis of a regulation held in the data acquisition regulationstorage section 543 of the management apparatus 54, the data acquisitionsection 540 of the management apparatus 54 acquires problems held in thedata group storage section 542 of the management apparatus 54. At thistime, a regulation stored on data acquisition regulation storage section543 is used as a regulation wherein 100 full-mark tests are managed atintervals of 10 points. Furthermore, as problems to be held in the datagroup storage section 542, ten kinds of problems are prepared for eachsubject. The ten kinds of problems are managed in accordance with marksat intervals of 10 points. Hence, it is possible to acquire problems(data) on the basis of test points used as personal attributes.Furthermore, it is possible to cope with the case when personalattribute information changes (when tests are performed many times) byadding a function for renewing the attribute information values in themanagement apparatus 54 shown in FIG. 56.

In an management apparatus 55 shown in FIG. 57, an attribute informationrecording section 544 for renewing the test points (attributeinformation values) stored on the attribute information group storagesection 541 and an attribute information receiving section 545 forreceiving new test points are added to the management apparatus 54 shownin FIG. 56. Hence, by receiving points at the management apparatus 55each time a test is performed, the data acquisition section 540 canacquire a problem corresponding to the points.

Furthermore, in order to transmit problems (data) to be acquired by thedata acquisition section 540 from the management apparatus, a datatransmitting section 546 is added as shown in a management apparatus 56of FIG. 58. Hence, each time a test is performed, a problemcorresponding to points can be acquired and transmitted.

Furthermore, in order to receive a problem corresponding to test points,a terminal identifier for identifying the terminal to be used by aperson is received at the above-mentioned attribute informationreceiving apparatus section 545. The received terminal identifier isheld together with the points in the attribute information group storagesection 541. The data transmitting section 546 transmits problems (data)to the terminal indicated by the above-mentioned terminal identifier.Hence, the person can receive a problem corresponding to the points eachtime a test is performed.

As described above, data can be managed and transmitted by themanagement apparatus.

Furthermore, data can be transmitted to the members constituting a groupby managing the group as described in the third and fourth embodiments.

The management apparatus 57 shown in FIG. 62 has a terminal attributeinformation group storage section 571 instead of the attributeinformation group storage section 541 of the management apparatus 54shown in FIG. 55. The terminal attribute information group storagesection 571 manages terminals as a group. In addition, the terminalattribute information group storage section 571 manages a group inrelation to attribute information.

The management apparatus 58 shown in FIG. 63 has a terminal attributeinformation group recording section 574 instead of the attributeinformation recording section 544 of the management apparatus 55. Theterminal attribute information group recording section 574 renewsattribute information managed as a group.

The management apparatus 59 shown in FIG. 64 has a terminal attributeinformation group receiving section 575 instead of the attributeinformation receiving section 545 of the management apparatus 56. Theterminal attribute information group receiving section 575 receivesattribute information from terminals managed as a group. In addition,the terminal attribute information group receiving section 575 alsoreceives terminal identifiers for identifying terminals and thereforecan automatically transmit data to the members in the group as describedin the third and fourth embodiments.

At this time, the terminal identifier may identify not only a terminalbut also the user of the terminal, and may identify a place where theterminal is installed.

Furthermore, it may be possible to transmit not only data but also aterminal identifier as data to the terminal indicated by the terminalidentifier. As a result, it is possible to recognize on the terminalside which terminal has received what kind of data.

The data transmitting section 547 shown in FIG. 65 is a modification ofthe data transmitting section 546 of the management apparatus 59. Thedata transmitting section 547 has a data receiving means 5461 forreceiving data and terminal identifiers from the data acquisitionsection 540 of the management apparatus 59. The data transmittingsection 547 has a data broadcasting section 5462 for broadcasting thereceived data and terminal identifiers in relation to each other. As aresult, the management apparatus can function as a broadcastingapparatus.

The broadcasting apparatus 61 shown in FIG. 59 has a data receivingsection 610 for receiving data transmitted by the management apparatus56. The broadcasting apparatus 61 also has a terminal identifier storagesection 612 for holding terminal identifiers for identifying terminalsand a terminal identifier acquisition section 613 for acquiring terminalidentifiers from the terminal identifier storage section 612. Therefore,the received data and terminal identifiers can be broadcast in relationto each other from a data broadcasting section 611. This realizesfunctions similar to those realized by the cooperation of the managementapparatus and the transmitting apparatus described in the first, second,third and fourth embodiments.

Furthermore, when the management apparatus 56 shown in FIG. 58 transmitsterminal identifiers together with data, the received terminalidentifiers are stored on the terminal identifier storage section 612via the passage 614 of the broadcasting apparatus 62 shown in FIG. 60.Hence, on the basis of the group formation managed by the managementapparatus 56, it is possible to broadcast data to the members. This alsorealizes functions similar to those realized by the cooperation of themanagement apparatus and the transmitting apparatus described in thefirst, second, third and fourth embodiments.

The broadcasting apparatus 63 shown in FIG. 61 has a configuration (orconstruction) wherein group management is not carried out on the side ofthe management apparatus. The broadcasting apparatus 63 has a groupterminal storage section 616 and a group terminal acquisition section torealize the above-mentioned group management. This also realizesfunctions similar to those realized by the cooperation of the managementapparatus and the transmitting apparatus described in the first, second,third and fourth embodiments.

This embodiment is just an embodiment, and it is needless to say thatother forms for embodying the invention in accordance with the claimsare included in the present invention.

Fifth Embodiment

A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described by usingFIG. 66 to FIG. 70.

In the third and fourth embodiments, on the basis of the attributeinformation of members and receiving apparatuses managed in group, datais received automatically, and judgment is made as to whether the datais stored (or accumulated) or not. However, the present invention is notlimited to this. On the basis of operations for specifically receivingand accumulating data and for specifically reserving data by membersmanaged in group, it may be possible to allow another receivingapparatus (itself or a receiving apparatus used by another user) toautomatically receive data, and judgment may be made as to whether thedata is stored or not.

In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the user of a receivingapparatus registers the content number or the content kind number of acontent desired to be received and stored in the transmitting apparatus1 by using the existing communication means 101. Furthermore, the userregisters the receiving apparatus identification number for identifyingthe receiving apparatus in the transmitting apparatus 1.

The above-mentioned content number or content kind number is an exampleof the above-mentioned data identification information. Furthermore, theabove-mentioned receiving apparatus identification number is an exampleof the above-mentioned receiving apparatus identifier.

FIG. 66 shows a construction of a receiving apparatus capable oftransmitting data identifiers for identifying contents (hereafterreferred to as data) to be received and stored (or accumulated).

The receiving apparatus 71 has a receiving section 710 having a functionsimilar to that of the receiving section 210 of the receiving apparatus21 in accordance with the first embodiment. It does not matter whetherthe receiving means is wired or wireless, and broadcasting orcommunications, just as in the case of the first embodiment.

Furthermore, the receiving apparatus 71 has a data storage section 712having a function of recording received data on a storage medium; andthis is a part of the function owned by the storage (or accumulation)control section 212 of the receiving apparatus 21 in accordance with thefirst embodiment. Still further, the receiving apparatus 71 has a datastorage (or accumulation) control section 711 having a function ofextracting data identification information for identifying data to bestored.

The data storage control section 711 is an extension of the functionowned by the storage control section 212 of the receiving apparatus 21in accordance with the first embodiment. Its extended function is afunction for extracting data identification information (a contentnumber in the first embodiment) for identifying data to be accumulatedfrom a packet to be received from the receiving section and foraccumulating the information on a stored (or accumulated) dataidentification information storage section 713. The method forextracting the data identification information is the same as that inthe case of the first-embodiment. The extracted data identificationinformation can be accumulated on the identifier storage section 211 inaccordance with the first embodiment as a separate table. In thisembodiment, a stored data identification information storage section 713is newly provided as an example.

Furthermore, when the user of a receiving apparatus specificallyperforms data storage reservation operation, data identificationinformation to be reserved can be accumulated in the stored dataidentification information storage section 713 thanks to this extensionof function.

The receiving apparatus 71 has a data identification informationtransmitting section 714 to send data identification informationaccumulated on the stored data identification information storagesection 713 to a data management apparatus (for example, thetransmitting apparatus 1 in accordance with the first embodiment).

In the receiving apparatus 71 of FIG. 66, only the data identificationinformation is sent; however, the receiving apparatus 72 shown in FIG.67 has a construction capable of sending the receiving apparatusidentifier stored on the receiving apparatus in order to identifyitself.

The receiving apparatus 72 stores the receiving apparatus identifier foridentifying itself in a receiving apparatus identifier 715. Furthermore,the receiving apparatus 72 has a receiving apparatus identifieracquisition section 716 for acquiring the receiving apparatus identifierfrom the receiving apparatus identifier 715.

In the first embodiment, the above-mentioned receiving apparatusidentifier 715 can also be stored as a separate table on the identifierstorage section 211 of the receiving apparatus 21. Furthermore, theacquisition of the receiving apparatus identifiers can be realized bythe storage control section 212 of the receiving apparatus 21.

By receiving the notice of the data identification information and thereceiving apparatus identifier, a data management apparatus (forexample, the transmitting apparatus 1 in accordance with the firstembodiment) can recognize which receiving apparatus intends to storewhich data.

Furthermore, the management apparatuses 52 and 53 in accordance with thethird and fourth embodiments manage group information. When the dataidentification information and the receiving apparatus identifier aresent to the management apparatus 52 or 53, the management apparatus 52or 53 can specify a member constituting a group. As described in thethird and fourth embodiments, the management apparatus 52 or 53 can sendthe receiving apparatus identifier and the data identificationinformation (a content number in the third and fourth embodiments) usedby the member to a data management apparatus (for example, thetransmitting apparatus 1 in accordance with the third and fourthembodiments). The data management apparatus (for example, thetransmitting apparatus 1 in accordance with the third and fourthembodiments) sends information for controlling data storage to adesignated receiving apparatus on the basis of the sent information.

Hence, when the user of the receiving apparatus performs storageoperation of specific data (for example, reservation operation), it ispossible to realize that a similar reservation operation can also becontrolled automatically for the receiving apparatuses used by themembers of the group.

Furthermore, the receiving apparatus 73 shown in FIG. 69 is furtherprovided with a transmission destination information storage section 717and a transmission destination information acquisition section 718.

In the first embodiment, the above-mentioned transmission destinationinformation storage section 717 can be stored on the identifier storagesection 211 of the receiving apparatus 21 as a separate table.Furthermore, the acquisition of the transmission destination informationcan be realized by the storage control section 212 of the receivingapparatus 21.

In the third and fourth embodiments, the management apparatuses 52 and53 manage groups. In other words, they also manage information foridentifying receiving apparatuses used by members. The construction ofthe receiving apparatus 73 of FIG. 68 is an example wherein informationfor identifying receiving apparatuses used by members is not held in amanagement apparatus but held by itself.

Hence, the above-mentioned function that can be realized by theconstruction comprising the receiving apparatus of FIG. 67 and themanagement apparatuses 52 and 53 in accordance with the third and fourthembodiments can be realized by only the receiving apparatus 73 of FIG.68.

FIG. 69 shows the construction of an output apparatus for receiving dataidentification information and receiving apparatus identifierstransmitted from the receiving apparatuses 71 and 72 described in thisembodiment.

The output apparatus 64 is provided with an output section 641 forsending at least either data identification information or receivingapparatus identifier received by a receiving section 640. The dataidentification information is held (or kept) in a data identificationinformation storage section 643. Furthermore, the output apparatus 64 isprovided with a group receiving apparatus information storage section646. The group receiving apparatus information storage section 646 holdsa receiving apparatus identification table for managing receivingapparatuses as a group. The output section 641 compares this table withthe receiving apparatus identifier received by the receiving apparatus640 via a group receiving apparatus identifier acquisition section 645to detect a group corresponding thereto. Furthermore, another receivingapparatus identifier of the detected group is acquired. The outputsection 641 outputs the acquired receiving apparatus identifier andreceived data identification information. This function realizes thefunctions of the transmitting apparatus 1 and the management apparatuses52 and 53 according to the third and fourth embodiments by using oneapparatus (the output apparatus 64).

The group managed by the management apparatuses 52 and in accordancewith the third and fourth embodiments is intended for a groupconstruction based on the taste for contents. However, the receivingapparatus information storage section 646 can hold a receiving apparatusidentification table wherein the group construction is based on groupsfor managing residential districts, school districts, theme parkdistricts, etc.

Hence, when data storage reservation is carried out by one receivingapparatus in a district, the receiving apparatus sends its receivingapparatus identifier and data identification information to the outputapparatus. The output apparatus can detect the corresponding districtand can send the receiving apparatus identifiers of the receivingapparatuses belonging to the district and the data identificationinformation. In the district, the receiving apparatuses store the samedata, whereby the data can be shared.

The output apparatus 64 is one apparatus for realizing the functions ofthe transmitting apparatus 1 and the management apparatuses 52 and 53 inaccordance with the third and fourth embodiments, and the datatransmission function thereof is extended.

The output section 641 reads the data from a data storage memory 647 andsends the data. The data is controlled in the data storage memory so asto be paired with the data identification information. When the outputapparatus 64 sends the data coincident with the received dataidentification information, the output apparatus 64 sends the datatogether with the data identification information in relation thereto.

Hence, unlike the receiving apparatus 21 in accordance with the firstembodiment, it is possible to identify data (a content in accordancewith the first embodiment) to be accumulated, independent of EPG(electronic program guide).

FIG. 70 shows an example of a stream including both data and dataidentification information to be sent. In the example shown in FIG. 70,a packet including data identification information is disposed at thehead of an elementary packet, i.e., an element of the data (a content).

In order that a receiving apparatus can securely receive the packetincluding the data identification information, plural dataidentification information packets may be disposed ahead of the headelementary packet or may be disposed in the middle of the elementarypackets of data.

FIG. 70 is an example of a broadcast stream, and its details will bedescribed below.

Inside the above-mentioned stream, information tables required forbroadcasting are included as packets. In the example of the stream 81shown in FIG. 70, three kinds of information tables are present. Aprogram association table (PAT) 82 has 0 as a packet ID. The details ofthe table are shown in PAT 90. PAT 90 is a table for holding the numberof a program and the packet ID of a program map table (PMT), i.e., aninformation table required for the program. The program is herein ageneral classification of data sent by the output apparatus 63 of FIG.69.

PMT (X) 83 in the stream 81 is a packet identified by the packet ID ofthe program map table (PMT) of a program X held in PAT 82 (90). Thedetails of the table of PMT (X) 83 are shown in PAT (X) 91. PAT (X) 91is a table for holding the packet ID of an elementary packet used as adata element, the packet ID of a time stamp packet referred to on thereceiving side and the packet ID of a packet including the dataidentification information. The elementary packet used at the head ofdata is the packet designated by numeral 86. The packet including thedata identification information is a packet designated by DID 84 and isdisposed ahead of the head elementary packet (numeral 86).

Plural DIDs 84 can be disposed in the stream 81 so that DIDs can bereceived securely on the receiving side.

In this embodiment, the content number described in the explanation ofthe first embodiment is taken as an example of the data identificationinformation; however, the information is not limited to that. As thedata identification information, the data may include regionidentification information of a meaningful district, or the data may bedivided and may include information indicating the ordinal position ofdata.

This embodiment is just an embodiment, and it is needless to say thatother forms for embodying the invention in accordance with the claimsare included in the present invention.

As described above, the respective embodiments in accordance with thepresent invention provide the following effects.

(1) Data can be accumulated automatically even in a receiving apparatusinstalled at a physically remote place without carrying out operation byits user.

(2) When data is received by a receiving apparatus and accumulated onplural kinds of storage (or accumulation) media connected to thereceiving apparatus, identifiers for identifying the storage media aremanaged by the receiving apparatus or transmitted from a transmittingapparatus together with the data, whereby the receiving apparatus canautomatically select a storage medium from among the plural kinds ofstorage media and can accumulate the data.

(3) Personal tastes depending on daily living environments can bereflected, data storage (or accumulation) in synchronization with thechanges in personal tastes can be carried out automatically, and dataconforming to the personal tastes can be accumulated.

(4) By automatically storing data for plural persons, the plural personscan have unified topics of conversation by using the same accumulateddata, and the effect of data utilization increases.

(5) Data judged unnecessary when judgment is made on the basis of onlythe taste of a person is automatically accumulated forcibly for all themembers on the basis of the judgment on the taste of the groupcomprising plural persons including the person, whereby data storage (oraccumulation) assumed to be participated by all the members forming agroup can be guaranteed for all the members.

(6) Even when the taste for data changes owing to stimuli andincitements among plural persons and time lags occur in data demand anddesire, data is automatically accumulated forcibly for all the membersforming a group on the basis of the judgment on the taste of pluralpersons stimulating one another, whereby data storage for the laggeddata demand and desire can be guaranteed.

(7) Data being effective when used by plural persons is automaticallyaccumulated forcibly for all the members of a group on the basis aspecific storage (or accumulation) reservation of a person, whereby datastorage (or accumulation) assumed to be participated by all the memberscan be guaranteed for all the members forming the group.

Although the present invention has been fully described in connectionwith the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to theaccompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes andmodifications are also apparent to those skilled in the art. Suchchanges and modifications are to be understood as included within thescope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unlessthey depart therefrom.

1. An output method in a state wherein one or more pieces of groupreceiving apparatus information having one receiving apparatusidentifier and other one or more receiving apparatus identifiers as apair are kept, the output method comprising: a receiving step ofreceiving a receiving apparatus identifier and data identificationinformation; a group receiving apparatus identifier acquisition step ofacquiring the one or more receiving apparatus identifiers paired withthe receiving apparatus identifier received at the receiving step, fromthe group receiving apparatus information having been kept; and anoutput step of outputting the one or more receiving apparatusidentifiers acquired at the group receiving apparatus identifieracquisition step.